Joker
by AmazingApple
Summary: A new girl arrives at Camp Half-Blood and quickly befriends a Stoll brother, starting something much more than just friendship. ConnorxOC
1. Jokers

The Stoll brothers couldn't contain their wide grins as they placed the golden mango in the center of the Aphrodite's cabin. Next to the mango, they left the note, "For the Hottest."  
>"This may be our best prank yet Travis," snickered Connor to his older brother as they stood back and admired their genius. The two brothers had concocted the plan of spray painting a mango gold, leaving a note that could start a war amongst the Aphrodite girls, and then sitting back and enjoying the show. They both let out a well-deserved round of laughter as they slithered out of a window, being as inconspicuous as they could while they walked away from their soon-to-be crime scene. They could only imagine how much damage would be done once the oh-so lovely girls of Aphrodite returned from their archery lessons. The Stoll brothers reveled in the fact that they may be the best pranksters known to Camp Half-Blood.<br>"This is going to be great," Travis said, practically quivering with excitement as he and his partner in crime leisurely sauntered away from the cabin, as if they were innocent, and over to the Strawberry fields, where they were supposed to be, according to their schedules. All the campers were gone to whatever activity they were supposed to be at, so they allowed themselves to enjoy the moment. The two choose a random row of strawberries, after sneaking under the small fence, and resumed picking the fruits just as Mr. D passed by.  
>He was doing his rounds and checking up on his precious strawberries and not-so-precious campers. At first, he passed the insignificant row, but then he took a few steps back and walked down it, inspecting the two brothers, as they appeared far too well behaved.<br>"What are you two brats smiling about?" barked Dionysus.  
>"Oh, nothing really Mr. Dionysus, Sir," replied Connor, barely managing to keep a straight face.<br>"We're just so proud of our little wine god. I mean, look at these beauties!" Travis sighed as he picked a strawberry and caressed it against his wistful face. The look of ridiculously believable admiration on his brother's face caused Connor to burst out in a fit of silent laughter behind the annoyed counselor's back.  
>"Whatever you two mutts have done, I'd better not need to clean it up later," said Mr. D, tossing a look of disapproval over his shoulder as he walked away, muttering his distaste for the teenage tricksters. The two stuck a certain finger up after the bitter god in unison.<br>"We'll head back to the cabins right when everyone is switching for lunch, got it?" Travis said to his brother in a hushed tone and they tossed strawberries into a basket on the ground.  
>"I can't wait to see the girls freak out," Connor divulged.<br>As the brothers continued their conversation, a girl walked by.

Madeline was a petite girl with long, black, curly hair that framed her pretty caramel-colored face and dark eyes. Right as she was passing the row where the brothers were plotting, she tripped on an exposed root. The two brothers turned around at the loud noise of the heavy basket she was carrying falling to the ground, sending all the strawberries it contained rolling. They rushed over to help the poor girl.  
>"Ow," mumbled Madeline as she rushed to look a little less helpless by jumping up from the ground, brushing the hair out of her face and straightened her shirt.<br>"Are you okay?" asked Connor, not doing a good job of hiding the amusement in his voice as they helped the girl. Travis elbowed his brother on the arm and gave him a look as held out his hand to her.  
>"I'm fine. Thank you," said Madeline as she took Travis's hand politely, her face growing hot, and not from the summer air. She brushed off her jeans and Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and scanned the area, looking at her display of clumsiness, and sighed.<br>Connor handed her the basket with a few strawberries left in it and she smiled and nodded.  
>"Yeah, thanks again. I guess I wasn't watching where I was going."<br>"No problem. I'm Travis, by the way. This is my brother-"  
>"Connor," his brother finished, giving a small grin.<br>Madeline would have to try to remember that Travis was the taller one. Other than that, they could be twins.  
>They both had curly brown hair, upturned eyebrows, mischievous crooked smiles and sparkly blue eyes, probably shining with the possibilities of their next prank.<br>"We've never seen you around before," said Travis, trying to save the girl from her obvious embarrassment.  
>"I'm Madeline. Madeline Cosecha. I'm new here, actually. Just arrived this morning. To... Camp Half-Blood," she said in a skeptical tone. "I just came from the <em>Pegasus stables<em>. At least Strawberry picking is normal-ish."  
>The brothers tried not to laugh at the comically quizzical expression on Madeline's face.<br>"I don't think you've even seen the half of it, to be honest. But it's almost time for lunch now. You should join us," said Travis, extending the ever present Stoll charm.  
>"I assume you haven't been claimed yet," Connor said.<br>"Claimed?" questioned Madeline.  
>"Yeah, that's what I thought. So you'll be sitting at our table for now," Travis stated.<br>"Sure," said Madeline, having no reason to disagree.  
>"C'mon. Let's skip fruit picking and we'll give you a tour of the ol' camp," said Connor cheerfully, taking the basket from her and placing it on the ground. She hesitated as the two weaved under the white fence beside them and started walking away.<br>"Are you coming?" Travis asked. "Don't worry, we won't get in trouble," he added, seeing her doubtful expression.  
>"The fields are a big place to notice a few missing kids, and Mr. D already saw us," offered Connor. "Besides, I think there's something you'll enjoy seeing," he smiled, thinking of the Aphrodite girls as they returned back to their cabins before lunch for one of their many makeup checks.<br>The brothers shared a laugh and continued to leave, Madeline following behind.  
>"Coming?" Travis hollered over his shoulder.<br>"Yeah... coming," Madeline replied timidly.  
><em>'What am I doing?'<em> she thought as she stumbled after the two brothers. At least they seemed friendly.


	2. The Golden Mango

Madeline stood there next to the Stoll brothers. The two of them were doubled over in laughter, while she just watched in shock as the girls in the cabin in front of her went absolutely rogue.  
>From what you could see through the windows' torn curtains and the broken door, they were ripping each other's clothes and throwing lipstick, jewelry, and Gucci shoes out the windows. They had to dodge several dangerous projectiles, along with all the other bystanders. The crowd was growing around the cabin, which was pulsing with screams and shrieks. A few beautiful boys stood closer to the cabin than the rest, worriedly watching the cabin full of their outraged sisters. It was one of the most captivating and amusing things Madeline had ever seen. She couldn't look away from the strange scene.<br>"How did you know this was going to hap-," Madeline began. She paused and look at the Stoll brothers' proud faces.  
>"Oh my goodness. Did <em>you<em> do this?" she asked, her voiced filled with disbelief, awe, and a little bit of praise.  
>"We just couldn't contain our talent," gasped Connor through his boastful laughter.<br>"I never imagined it'd be this great!" exclaimed Travis, gesturing to the cabin from Hades with open arms, as if he was greeting an old friend.  
>Just then, a large centaur trotted over to the train wreck and bellowed in a strong, loud voice, "<em>ENOUGH<em>!"  
>The crowd silenced their murmurs and giggles at the command of Chiron. It would have been tough not to do what he said just then, considering how outraged he looked. Madeline noted the second side of the centaur she had met earlier that day at her arrival to Camp Half-Blood; this was quite different from the serene, welcoming man she had met -the first one in her life, she might add. For a second his confusion broke through as he surveyed the mad display.<br>"Everyone to lunch. Now!" demanded Chiron.  
>The Stoll brothers were still enjoying the Aphrodite girls' fight, since they hadn't seemed to notice Chiron, or the crowd they had drawn, or anything besides their current skirmish.<br>Madeline started to leave with all the other campers to the mess hall, but Travis and Connor tapped her on her arms and led her behind the Aphrodite cabin.  
>"No way we're missing the second half of the show," Connor explained.<br>"This is where the fun begins," grinned Travis.  
>"This is...crazy," Madeline said. "But pretty impressive. How'd you do it?" she gushed, her voice cracking with laughter.<br>"Genius just comes naturally to us," bragged Connor is a mock-speech voice.  
>"Yeah, I'm sure it does. But this is just... seriously wicked."<br>The whole time the three were talking, they hid behind a patch of large bushes near the Aphrodite cabin, so as not to be seen by Chiron or any of the fuming, disheveled girls that he had managed to pry out of the fight, with the help of a few other girls and lucky guys of course, since he couldn't easily enter the cabin with his horse body.  
>"Annabeth! Clarisse! Percy! Grover! Get all the girls out of the cabin, now!" he exclaimed. They separated themselves from the stream of campers all had different reactions to this command; Grover looked nervous, Annabeth disappointed, Percy amused, yet confused, and Clarisse looked glad to have a chance to beat down on someone.<br>After a few minutes of trying to get the girls under control, things finally started to return to normal noise levels. The few sons of Aphrodite were trying to console their sisters. Percy and Grover emerged from the cabin with ripped shirts and goofy grins on their faces, carrying two girls around their waists, working hard to keep them apart as they struggled to get free. They all exited and reentered every few minutes, each time with a few different girls that they had managed to take from the tussle, each with their different methods. Annabeth dragged out her girls one at a time by their arms, Percy and Grover carrying them by their waists, and Clarisse pulled them out a bunch at a time by their hair. It was a sight to see.  
>"Is this normal?" asked Madeline with a small, slightly guilty grin on her face, turning to the two boys who were in ecstasy.<br>"For these girls, definitely. They seem to _love_ to get into fights with each other. But never this big before. We've really outdone ourselves this time," Travis boasted in a hushed tone. By now, the girls weren't screaming bloody murder anymore.  
>They were all fixing their hair and readjusting their clothes and pouting. The two brothers grinned at each other and turned back to the scene they'd caused. As they watched, the infamous golden mango exited the cabin in Annabeth's hand.<br>"Chiron. I think this is what started this mess," she said, holding out the prop and its written accomplice.  
>"For the Hottest," she read aloud.<br>They couldn't all help but share a small chuckle, even Chiron who was trying to keep a stern exterior.  
>"Very clever," whispered Madeline from behind the bushes.<br>"Who do we know that would do this," prompted Percy, gesturing to the cabin that resembled a post-apocalyptic war zone.  
>"Does this have 'Stoll' written all over it, or what?" chided Clarisse in a tone of disgust, and an undertone of approval.<br>Madeline realized the two boys she hid beside must have a reputation for this kind of thing.  
>Chiron scanned the area and stared circling the cabin.<br>"Travis! Connor! Come out, come out wherever you are!" teased Annabeth.  
>"What?" squealed one of the Aphrodite girls.<br>"Travis and Connor did this?"  
>"I can't believe it!"<br>"That is totally, like, not funny!"  
>"I beg to differ," mumbled Connor with a grin.<br>"Over there, in the bush!" pointed one of the girls. "Oh, you're gonna get it, you clowns!"  
>"Shit. You'd better go Madeline," warned Travis, shooing her away.<br>"Yeah, you don't wanna be caught with us right now," Connor added, though he didn't show any remorse.  
>"Definitely. Yeah, um, I'll see you guys later," said Madeline in a rush.<br>She didn't know if that was true though. Those girls looked really pissed.  
>"Bye Madeline," Connor said, glancing back at her for a moment.<br>She could hear the smile in his voice as he turned around and stood up. She half crawled, half ran to the nearest cabin and slowly made her way to the other side, making sure to be quiet.  
>As she jogged away to the mess hall, she heard a faint, "Oh, hello ladies. Having a nice day, are we?"<br>_"Those boys are such jokers,"_ Madeline thought with a small smile.


	3. Lunch Time

Madeline had just finished tossing her "offering to the gods" into a brazier when the Stoll brothers walked into the mess hall, along with Annabeth, Percy, Grover, Clarisse, and many annoyed looking daughters of Aphrodite. A fellow camper was kind enough to give her the heads up about the offerings, seeing as she was a newbie. She had just sat down at the Hermes table, the most crowded one in the building, and began eating her lunch when the room burst into applause and whistles when Travis and Connor entered and bowed, gesticulating widely. Apparently, all the campers had figured that they were the masterminds behind the Aphrodite fiasco, and they were impressed. Everyone appreciated the show. The others went unnoticed to their tables.  
>Travis and Connor made their way over to the Hermes table after getting their food and making their offerings, thanking their fans by blowing kisses and sending winks the whole way, and sat down on either side of Madeline.<br>"So, how'd you like that?" asked Travis.  
>"It made for an interesting first day," replied Madeline, smiling at the two delighted teenagers.<br>"We're glad to help the new girl," said Connor, giving her a small, crooked smile. Madeline darted her eyes away from him, feeling embarrassed.  
>"We take pride in bringing some life to this boring camp. I mean, what would it have without us? A bunch of demigods and a few mythical creatures here and there?" joked Travis, taking a bite out of the apple in his hand.<br>"I still haven't wrapped my head around this place," admitted Madeline, looking around at the seemingly normal teenagers around her, all talking, laughing, and eating a normal lunch. "Is this real? I mean, am I hallucinating? This just isn't sane. It can't be."  
>Connor smirked and assured her, "We promise you this place is real. One of your parents is a god, and that makes you a demigod."<br>"Congrats! Now we just have to wait and see who your _almighty_ parent is. They'll claim you...eventually," added Travis. "We're sons of Hermes, God of thieves, travelers, and of course, notorious pranksters."  
><em>'Obviously,'<em> Madeline agreed in her head.  
>"You'll be rooming in our cabin until you're claimed," explained Connor.<br>"Under our rule," added Travis, "since we're the counselors of Cabin eleven."  
>"Cool gig," Madeline said.<br>The brothers didn't say anything for a moment. They knew the new girl didn't know about how they had inherited the title, but it didn't stop the bitter thoughts from speeding through their minds.  
>"So, do you have a mom or a dad?" questioned Travis, pushing themselves forward.<br>"I was raised by my father. He didn't like to talk about it, and that usually means you got ditched. So that's what I always assumed. I mean, it's still technically what happened, I guess... So I must be the daughter of a goddess," she said, looking like she didn't believe what she was saying.  
>"Makes sense," shrugged Connor.<br>He and his brother walked to the other side of the table and sat across from Madeline. They put on their mock thinking faces, raising a mischievous eyebrow and a finger to their chins, and began studying their new acquaintance. She smiled, shaking her head, and watched the two boys as they began analyzing her.  
>"Well, I doubt your Athena's daughter," stated Connor, nodding and taking into account her deep black eyes. He thought they had a lovely, warm sense to them.<br>Even though Madeline was no expert in Greek mythology, she at least knew Athena was the goddess of wisdom. She took this comment as a slight insult to her intelligence, which showed as her bright smile slowly shrank away to an awkward smirk.  
>Connor, realizing how she could have taken that, added, "But only because your eyes aren't grey! All of Athena's children have grey eyes. But I doubt you're an Aphrodite girl, too. You don't seem anything like those girls."<br>Connor smiled and relaxed, thinking that was a nice save. Madeline thought back to how glamorous all those girls were, even in their indecent state. The whole prank was based on the fact that they're all hot, and know it.  
>"Cool," Madeline mumbled, nervously brushing a curl out of her face and knitting her eyebrows together, not sure how else to reply.<br>"Oh, no I just, I meant that you don't seem like a complete bimbo! I totally don't think you're ugly." Connor said, slowing down as the words came out of his mouth against his will, wishing he could take them back.  
>"Thanks," Madeline said nonchalantly, chuckling a little bit and offering a small smile. She knew Connor wasn't trying to insult her, but it didn't make things any less awkward. She looked down and picked her food a little, while Travis gave his little brother an amused look of disapproval, rolling his eyes.<br>_'Smooth, Connor. Real smooth,'_ Travis thought in dismay as he watched his little brother make a complete idiot of himself.  
>"Anyway, your mother could really be any of the goddesses," said Travis, lightening up the tension a little bit. "Except for Hera or Artemis, since they don't have children. Virgin goddesses, and all. No one's rolling around in the sheets with those ones."<br>"So are you guys in trouble at all for pulling that prank?" wondered Madeline, who was glad to change the subject.  
>"Ha. Our free time for the next week is going to be spent cleaning the Pegasus stables. But that doesn't start until Monday. Seeing as today is Thursday, we have a few more days of freedom, unless the Aphrodite girls murder us," said Travis, the actual concern appearing on his face for a moment.<br>"Hey, tomorrow is Capture the Flag!" Connor reminded them, trying to forget his faux pas. "Every Friday, the we play Capture the Flag."  
>"You, New Girl, are going to have fun tomorrow," said the older looking girl next to them, turning and joining the conversation at the mention of Camp Half Blood's beloved tradition. She had the same mischievous air as Connor and Travis. "Hi, I'm Lucy. I'm a Hermes kid too."<br>"Madeline," she replied, shaking Lucy's outstretched hand.  
>"<em>Anyway<em>," Travis continued, "it's loads of fun."  
>"I love capture the flag," grinned Madeline. She was thrilled at the thought of having a something a little normal in the bowl of weird she had been tossed into.<br>"Are you good with weapons?" Connor asked her, as if it were a completely normal question.  
>"What?" Madeline said with a laugh, thinking it was a joke. When she saw them not laughing, she cleared her throat and added, "Um, I wouldn't know," scared of why that question was necessary.<br>"I don't think we're thinking of the same Capture the Flag," said Lucy, giving Madeline a look of pity.  
>A horn called out nearby, signaling that lunch was over.<br>"Well, Connor and I have free time next. What's next on your schedule?" asked Travis, leaning forward to read the paper Madeline had pulled out of her pocket.  
>"I think we have the same schedule, for now. It might change if you're claimed," added Connor who was also reading her schedule.<br>"If?" asked Madeline, looking up from the paper.  
>"The gods don't always seem to take an interest in their offspring," Lucy said with a knowing smile. "Well, I'm off to Archery," she continued. "See you later, New Girl." With that and a wave, she departed.<br>"That kinda sucks," said Madeline after Lucy left.  
>"It's not as bad as it sounds. You just won't know who the woman that abandoned you when you were a baby is," shrugged Travis. He smiled, as if everything was a joke, but Madeline sensed she wasn't the only one with parent issues.<br>"I guess you're right about that," Madeline said, nodding her agreement and ending that conversation.  
>They turned around at the sound of footsteps and saw Annabeth walking over to the three of them with a stern look on her face.<br>"She looks kinda pissed," Madeline observed, turning around quickly to face the Stoll brothers.  
>"Eh, don't worry about it. Her name's Annabeth, and that's just a constant state of being for her," Connor told her. Madeline just raised her eyebrows, and then Annabeth tapped her on the shoulder and introduced herself.<br>"Hi! I'm Annabeth," she said, "And you are?"  
>"Madeline. I'm Madeline," she answered.<br>"Don't worry Annie, we've got her covered. No need to bring the welcome chariot around," teased Travis with an overly sweet smile. She blonde-haired girl ignored them and smiled at Madeline.  
>"Watch out for these two. They may seem charming, but they're trouble," she warned, glaring at the two brothers. They both gasped in faux shock.<br>"That hurts, Annie!" Travis exclaimed dramatically, placing his hand over his heart.  
>"And did you just call us charming?" asked Connor, making a seductive face and raising an eyebrows.<br>"They also have gigantic egos," Annabeth added.  
>"Thanks, Annabeth. I think I'll be fine though," offered Madeline, laughing at the warning.<br>"Your choice. Anyway, nice to meet you," Annabeth said, stepping back with a small wave.  
>"How about that tour we talked about earlier?" prompted Connor, clapping his hands together and standing up from the table, ready to leave.<br>"Sounds good," said Madeline as she got up from the table.  
>"I'll actually have to skip," interrupted Travis. "I have some business to take care of. I think you can manage without me," he said as he started to walk away. "I'll catch up with you later."<br>"Oh, um-" started Connor, shooting a desperate look in the direction of the receding figure of his older brother.  
>"That's fine. You know this place just as well, right?" suggested Madeline.<br>"Yeah," he agreed, forcing a calm expression onto his face as he turned around and they walked out of the pavilion together.  
>"I guess we'll start from the top," he said, flashing a quick smile.<br>_'Thanks a lot, Travis,'_ he thought bitterly as they started towards Half Blood Hill.


	4. Tour

"This is Camp Half-Blood," Connor announced, gesturing to the area below them with open arms as they stood next to the large pine on the hill's crest.  
>"It's pretty amazing," Madeline said, smiling lightly.<br>She stood there for a moment taking in the scene; there were kids running around, the sound of swords clashing, laughter, and things that didn't exist to her just a day ago, like the strange boys with goat legs. The bright sun created a cheerful background for the great view.  
>"Yeah. I guess it is," agreed Connor, remembering the first time he saw Camp Half-Blood, years ago when he was only a little kid.<br>"I was only about seven when I came here. At least you're older learning that you're a demigod. How old are you anyway?"  
>"I just turned sixteen a few weeks ago. My birthday is in May," Madeline said, still looking at the view below them.<br>"I'm sixteen, too," Connor replied, making conversation. "Travis is seventeen."  
>"Hmm," Madeline replied, focused on the scenery for the moment. There was a moment of silence before Connor said, "Okay, so this is Half Blood Hill. Its name is pretty self-explanatory. "<br>"What's this huge tree?" asked Madeline, referring to the large pine behind them. She felt stupid for asking as soon as the words came out of her mouth. It's was just a tree.  
>"This is Thalia's Pine," he answered though, to her surprise, a hint of sadness in his voice.<br>"Oh... Why is it called that?" she dared to ask, worried she was on a touchy subject.  
>"A while ago, there was a demigod named Thalia. She was a daughter of Zeus. She didn't make it past the border, but Zeus turned her into a pine tree so that she wasn't, well, gone forever. Now she protects the camp from monsters. What happened to her won't happen again."<br>"Oh. I'm sorry that happened," Madeline said, pausing for a moment of silence. "Did you say monsters?"  
>It seemed a little far fetched, but here she was at a camp for demigods. The limits of possibility didn't apply here.<br>But Connor simple answered, "Yep. Most of us are attacked outside of camp, by monsters. They can smell us. But you're safe inside the borders," he said, clapping her on the shoulder.  
>She gave a small laugh, but still looked confused.<br>"Is it weird that I haven't been attacked?"  
>"Maybe your mother is a minor goddess. You were probably flying under the radar."<br>"To be honest, until today, I had no clue about this this, whatever. Part of my life. Everyone's been really vague about everything, except you and Travis. Thanks for that, by the way. I mean for not letting me carry on like a clueless moron," she said with gratitude.  
>"No problem. I guess we're all just used to it by now. We can't imagine not knowing about this," he shrugged. "C'mon, there is a lot of camp to show the newbie."<br>They walked down the hill, almost everyone they passed waving and saying hello to Connor and giving the new girl a look of curiosity.  
>"That is the Big House," said Connor, gesturing to the big blue house. "Counselors have meetings here for important things, like quests, business stuff."<br>"Quests?" Madeline inquired.  
>"Yeah, quests. They're like missions given out to the campers. They're one of the things we're preparing for here," he explained.<br>They passed the Volleyball Courts, where some kids were playing a very vigorous, intense game of Volleyball. They also passed the Arts & Crafts center, where some kids were carving a larger-than-life size statue of a beautiful women in flowing ribbons.  
>Some Aphrodite girls nearby glared at Connor.<br>She ignored them and continued after the boy.  
>"They seem friendly," said Madeline in a sarcastic tone.<br>"They may not be the nicest girls you meet. Anyway, this is the Arena," he said as they entered through a massive stone archway. The few kids that were there were taking a break and sitting on the stands, weapons at their sides. They walked to the middle of the large floor and Madeline spun around, looking at the large stadium.  
>"Wow," was all she could say.<br>"This is where we have sword practice," Connor told her.  
>"Sounds fun," replied Madeline in a distant voice. Connor couldn't help but laugh at her. She was so surprised by everything. She gave him a sheepish smile when he laughed. It was fun watching her reactions to all of it.<br>"Next is the Climbing Wall," said Connor, leading her farther into camp.

* * *

><p>"Isn't that kind of... extremely dangerous?" Madeline asked as she looked at the flowing lava. And the two colossal walls of stone rumbling and closing in towards each other, along with the falling boulders and the severe lack of harnesses on the kids climbing.<br>"Does everyone seriously see this as normal?" she asked, perplexed.  
>"Like I said, we've gotten used to it," Connor replied. "Besides, the satyrs catch anyone who falls, most of the time," he added, smiling at the disbelief on her face. It was kind of cute. He helped her across the creek, offering her his hand, and they came out next to the mess hall.<br>"You've already been here. We have all our meals here. You have to sit at your parents table, with all your half brothers and sisters. It's the rules. Since Hermes is the god of travelers and whatnot, we take on all unclaimed demigods. That's why you're with us for now."  
>"Gotcha," said Madeline with a nod. They continued onto the cabins and walked over to #11.<br>"This is the Hermes cabin!" Connor said, grinning at the dullest, simplest cabin in the lot. It had plain brown paint, a few windows, and a caduceus over the door. It looked like a normal cabin you would find at any other summer camp.  
><em>'Cozy,'<em> thought Madeline, embracing the welcoming vibe of the small house.  
>He held the door open for her and she gave a small thanks as she entered.<br>"Well, this is home sweet home, for now. That's the girls' side," he said, gesturing to the left, "and that's the boys' side." Madeline hesitated as she walked past the small lounge area in the middle and through the doorway to the girls' side.  
>"How did my stuff get here?" she asked, looking at her few bags on one of the top bunks with surprise.<br>"The harpies must've done it," he said, standing in the doorway. "They're like the unseen maintenance workers of Camp Half-Blood. You'll wanna stay away from them though. They like the taste of demigods."  
>She smiled at the joke and climbed onto the bunk.<br>"I'll let you set up for a bit," Connor said, leaving the cabin out the front door. She peered out the window and saw him talking to a small groups of girls, standing confidently and flashing that bright smile of his.  
><em>'Are you seriously flirting right now?'<em> Madeline observed, shaking her head. Boys will be boys. She checked her stuff, just to see everything was still there, and then walked to the front door. She waited, leaning on the door frame, while he flirted with the girls. She took the moment to observe the area. There were Satyrs everywhere and cheerful campers talking and running around.  
>"Hey, Madeline, come over here and meet a few friends of mine," Connor waved her over, and the girls giggled. She didn't really see what was funny.<br>_'Whatever. If that's how _they_ flirt..._'  
>"Girls, this is Madeline. Madeline, this is Lindsey, Jessica, and Megan," he said, introducing them all. The girls, as Madeline could see, were obviously Aphrodite girls, and they all had on their best fake smiles.<em><br>_She was caught off guard when they each took turns pulling her into a hug.  
>"It's so nice to have a new girl camper," Lindsey said.<br>"It would be totally awesome to have a new sister," added Jessica with a well-rehearsed tone of sweetness.  
>"Yeah, there are so many guys around," said Megan, looking over at Connor. He was holding back a smirk as he watched Madeline and how much she wasn't buying their act.<br>It _was_ nice to have a new girl at camp.  
>"Totally," was all Madeline said in response to their "friendliness", matching their fake smiles with one of her own.<br>"Well, we gotta go. See you later, ladies," said Connor. He winked as they walked away. Madeline let out a laugh once they were out of earshot.  
>"Maybe they're nice, way deep, deep down, but-"<br>"They just can't resist my charm," Connor finished.  
>"Yeah, sure. That's exactly what I was going to say," she replied, smiling and shaking her head. Connor just noticed that she had dimples. He watched her while she looked around and couldn't help but smile too.<br>"So," he said as they passed by a large field scattered with sparing partners everywhere, "campers train pretty much anywhere there's space."  
>"More weapon activities," she said, raising her fists into the air without much enthusiasm.<br>"Ah, don't worry. It's really not bad. What, are you scared of swords?" he teased, picking up a nearby stick and pretending to fight against an invisible opponent.  
>Madeline turned her palms up and shrugged with an innocent smile. "I'm a lover, not a fighter."<br>"Well then you'll love this place. That is the armory," he told her.  
>"Funny," she said as they walked into the large shed-looking building. Inside were many rows and shelves of all different kinds of weapons that Madeline couldn't even name.<br>"This is... yeah, quite the collection," Madeline said.  
>"It's kind of necessary when you need to know how to protect yourself from big, bad monsters," mused Connor.<br>"I guess they would come in handy every now and then," Madeline joked. They both smirked.  
>"Everyone has a weapon, so we should see if we can't find yours," Connor suggested, leading her to the back of the shed.<br>"How are going to find the right weapon for me, in all of this?" she asked, looking at the extensive rows of sharp, deadly dangers with awe.  
>"It'll happen," said Connor. "Maybe you're good with a broadsword. But that's a heavy weapon and you're small," he said, mostly thinking aloud rather than talking to her as he walked down the aisles, searching the shelves of weapons. Madeline blushed at his evaluation.<br>"We'll find out during archery if you're good with a bow and arrow," he added. Madeline, trying to hide her blush, pretended to be occupied with a peculiar weapon; it was a ball on a chain with small curved blades all over it connected to a handle. She reached out for the handle of the strange weapon and pulled on the handle, which was secretly caught on something else, causing all the sharp, dangerous weapons in the shelf above her to begin sliding forward. Connor, turning around at her silence, noticed just in time and ran forward, pulling her out of the way. They both cringed at the loud clatter the metal made as it crashed against the ground. They both stood there, frozen for a moment. Connor was suddenly very aware of her body against his and the fact that he was holding Madeline tightly to his chest, her holding onto his arms that were wrapped around her. He quickly released his grip on her and backed away.  
>"I don't even know how I <em>did<em> that! Thank you. I'm so sorry," she pleaded, looking at the second mess she'd made that day, but this time it was deadly weapons and not harmless fruit.  
>"Don't worry about it," Connor assured her. "It happens all the time. Er, not <em>all<em> the time. But don't worry about it, really," he continued, ushering her out the front door before someone came to inspect the loud mess.

* * *

><p>They walked around the area a little more and talked and laughed and enjoyed the free time.<br>"The only places left are the forest, the beach, and the stables. You've already been to see the horses and Pegasi, right?" Madeline nodded with a smile to his question, remembering back to this morning when she saw the winged horses. They were beautiful, like a fairytale.  
>"Good. The beach is down there," he said pointing in the direction of the mess hall. "It doesn't exactly require a tour, and the forest is a little tricky to give a tour of, seeing as it's a bunch of trees and dryads."<br>"Well, that was a lovely tour. And thanks again, Connor. Really," she said, admiring the wonderful camp around her. It was a nice day; there were fluffy, white clouds in the sky, a warm breeze, and the cheerful sound of the lively camp all around.  
>"It was my pleasure, " he said, laughing silently to himself as he remembering how nervous he was when Travis left him alone with the new girl. Just then, a horn was blown again. Free time was over.<br>"Time for Archery," Connor prompted, enjoying the look on Madeline's face he led her off towards something that was bound to be interesting.


	5. Archery

Madeline stood there, Connor on her left and Travis on her right, with all the other kids at archery lessons spread out in a line, a row of bull's-eye targets across from them several yards away.  
>Most of the kids, including Connor and Travis, had begun shooting arrows at the targets, at least hitting it every time. Madeline blocked out the whistling of the arrows as they were shot through the air and examined her bow. She took an arrow out from the sling she'd gotten and loaded it into the bow, trying to make it look like the other campers'. She brought the bow up to eye level, pulled back on the string, and released. She dropped the bow and jumped back in shock as soon as the arrow was shot, looking around to see if anyone had noticed. Connor had been watching her and smiled at her, trying not to laugh. She returned the smile and then watched as her arrow missed by a mile, piercing the ground beside a poor, unsuspecting satyr who bleated in fear. Madeline heard her fellow archers laugh, and joined in as she called out, "Sorry!"<br>She blushed as she crouched down to pick up her dropped bow. Right when she was about to launch her second arrow, Travis came up behind her.  
>"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on there rookie," he said, grabbing her bow and aiming it down to the ground.<br>"Yeah, I guess beginner's luck doesn't apply to me," Madeline said, scrunching up her nose in distaste.  
>"And you're definitely not a daughter of Apollo," teased Travis. "Now, load your bow and aim at the target," he commanded.<br>She did as he told her, knowing that he had more experience and could help.  
>"Stand up straight," he said, placing his hand on the small of her back, "relax your shoulders," he added as he pushed her tensed shoulders down, "and keep your head up straight." He lightly tapped her chin with his finger and adjusted her hands on the bow. As he guided her by her wrists with his arms around her, he said, "Now shoot."<br>Madeline released the arrow, and this time it actually hit the target. It was no bull's-eye, she thought to herself, but hitting the target at all was better than her first shot.  
>"Much better," said Travis, smiling down, since he was at least a head taller than her.<br>Madeline lowered her bow and beamed at her accomplishment.  
>"Good teaching helps," she said, thanking him.<br>Travis returned to his shooting and Connor looked at his brother with a raised eyebrow.  
><em>'What?'<em> Travis mouthed back, shaking his head. Connor just rolled his eyes and faced his target again.

By the end of Archery, she had slowly progressed towards the bull's-eye with each new shot. The three of them all put their bows and arrows away as they left, and headed to their next activity.  
>"You weren't that bad," Connor said to Madeline as they walked.<br>"Yeah, pretty decent for a newbie," admired Travis. "After I helped, of course," he added with a self-congratulating smirk.  
>"I'm just glad I didn't skewer that poor guy," she commented with a mock look of terror on her face.<br>"Yeah. Poor Larry," the younger brother agreed with a grin.  
>"To the climbing wall then," said Travis, falling behind a little and talking to one of his half-brothers.<br>"The death trap I saw earlier?" Madeline asked, slowing down her walking pace a little.  
>"Yep!" Connor replied, pushing her forward a bit.<br>"How has no one died on that thing yet?" Madeline asked as they got closer, revealing even more than she had seen before.  
>There were all kinds of obstacles on the way up to the top; taunting areas of the wall were slicked with grease, moving and dissapearing footholds tormenting the climbers, and large boulders rained down upon them into the pool of lava below created by the rivers of molten rock flowing down the sides of the towering walls, which threatened to crush the climbing demigods by smashing together if they didn't reach the top in time.<br>"I never said nobody died, I just said that the satyrs will usually catch you if you fall," he replied with a mischievous grin. Madeline stopped in her tracks all together and gave Connor a pleading look. Before he could say anything, Travis came up behind her from his conversation and put his arm around her shoulders, forcing her to walk with him.  
>"C'mon Madeline! It'll be fun," said Travis as they entered the climbing wall area. Madeline furrowed her eyebrows despite her efforts of trying to calm down. Connor found himself scowling at his brother's embrace, quickly readjusting his face.<br>_'Jeez, Travis. You could cool it a little with the flirting,'_ he thought as they walked towards the wall.  
><em>'They don't really expect me to climb this thing, do they?'<em> Madeline wondered as a satyr walked over to them.  
>"Hey, I'm Grover. You must be Madeline," he said, bowing politely. Madeline was pleasantly surprised at his kind gesture, momentarily forgetting her fear.<br>"Yeah, that's me. You're the satyr that had to deal with those Aphrodite girls, right?" she said mused, thinking about how they had had to be dragged out of their cabin.  
>Connor poked her arm before Grover replied, "Yeah, but how'd you know?" a confused look coming to his face.<br>Madeline's eyes widened a little and her smile receded as she realized she wasn't supposed to know about that.  
>"Oh. Just... word around camp," she replied, batting her eyelashes at the end to try to look as innocent as possible, putting on a sweet smile.<br>Grover nodded, turning around and gesturing for them to follow.  
>"Whoops," she whispered before following Grover.<br>"So this is your first time, right?" asked Grover as he handed her a pair of gloves and a helmet. She just nodded her head, fear settling in again. Connor and Travis were gearing themselves up, obviously familiar with the procedure.  
>"So, just climb the wall, and try to make it to the top without falling or getting too banged up, okay?" Grover instructed her, completely calm.<br>"Ladies first," Travis and Connor said together.  
><em>'This is insane,'<em> Madeline thought as she was guided over to the wall by a talking Grover, whose instructions she had drowned out by now.  
>"Don't worry," Connor called from somewhere behind her, "You'll be fine!"<br>Madeline gripped the first handle on the wall and began to pull herself up the rumbling wall.  
><em>'Okay, you're doing it, just keep it slow,'<em> Madeline thought to herself. _'Just don't look like a spaz. Again. In front of everyone. Especially not Travis and Connor, your first friends here. Your first _guy_ friends here.'_  
>She was half way up, her limbs feeling hollow and her stomach feeling like it was full of tap dancing elephants, when her first problem, other than the obvious ones, arose. She was about to reach for the next handle when a ball of fiery lava collided with the wall next to her. The wall shook for a second, and she lost her foot hold. She panicked, but found something to balance on. The handle she had a grip on suddenly disappeared, leaving her to hang on for dear life with one shaking hand and balancing on a piece of rock barely big enough for the tips of her shoes. She was trapped, seeing that all the surrounding grips were out of reach, more 10 feet off the ground. She stood on the tips of her sneakers on the edge of the foothold she was balancing on, but still couldn't reach. She kept trying to reach the overhead handle, stretching her free arm as far as she could, but it couldn't be done. Finally, as a last resort when she felt the walls getting dangerously close, she steadied herself against the wall, and jumped.<br>For a terrifying moment, she wasn't touching anything and was very high off the ground. But before she fell back down, she grabbed the handle that was just out of reach before, and slammed back against the wall. The breath was knocked out of her as she hit the wall full force.  
><em>'That hurt,'<em> she thought, trying to ignore the pain. _'At least you didn't fall,'_ she added optimistically.  
>She reached the top of the wall soon after, adrenaline pushing her through the ache in her arms and legs, and heaved herself over, flopping down and letting the air return to her lungs.<br>"I can't believe I just did that, " she said out loud. She heard whooping down below and peeked over the edge to see Connor and Travis cheering. She stood up and raised a victorious fist to them in the air. She turned around with a huff and then proceeded to climb down the outer side of the wall, where there were no obstacles trying kill her.

"You did great," Travis said as Madeline came into view.  
>"Yeah, what were you worried about?" said Connor as he got ready to climb the wall.<br>"Oh, I don't know. Maybe dying. Silly me," she joked as Connor walked towards the wall.  
>He made it look simple. He didn't stop going when rocks were thrown and smashed inches away from his head, and he looked good doing it. It was the same for Travis, a smooth ride all the way up.<br>_'Show offs,'_ she thought to herself, letting a smile break through.  
>"I am officially ashamed of my climb," Madeline admitted as they all sat down for a drink. This earned a laugh from the brothers. She put her hair up into a ponytail and walked around the climbing wall, observing all its different tricks while the other campers climbed. Connor looked after her and admitted that he enjoyed having her around. He was having a good time with her today. She was funny and had fun with everything. She was nice and clever, and she seemed...genuine.<br>Another thing Connor noticed: she was a pretty good looking girl. He just began thinking about this when Travis sat down next to him.  
>"What are <em>you<em> looking at?" asked Travis, following his gaze to Madeline.  
>"Nothing," Connor answered, turning around and drinking his water.<br>"Checking out the new girl?" Travis teased his brother, knowing it would get a response out of him.  
>"No. I was just looking at her," he stated, trying to sound nonchalant.<br>"Sure you were dude," he replied. Before he could say anything else, Madeline returned, ending the conversation.  
>"So do you take on the wall, everyday?" she asked, sipping from her water bottle.<br>"Not everyday, but a few times a week," Travis replied, since Connor was practically drowning himself with his water, chugging it all down. Good excuse not to talk.  
>"So there is Pegasus riding, sword fighting, extreme wall climbing...what else?" she asked, a mock look of curiosity on her face. Even though she was living it, none of it seemed real yet.<br>"We are the descendants of the Greek gods! You should embrace it," Connor said, finally coming up for air.  
>"Yeah," Travis agreed with a laugh. "Pretty much everything here is ancient Greek. We train in all the ancient Greek fields here, from chariot races to battling monsters."<br>"And then there's the Gods, too," Connor added with a sarcastic shrug. Madeline chuckled while she looked away and took in her new home.  
><em>'Might as well embrace it then, Madeline. This is who you are now,'<em> she thought.  
>"So when do I get to choose my weapon," Madeline said aloud, accepting the fact that she was going to train eventually.<br>"The weapon chooses you, my dear demigod," Travis joked.  
>"But we actually have weapons training next," Connor said, answering her question. "Hopefully you won't bring down the building this time," he added, snickering at the previous events. She seemed prone to accidents.<br>"What's that about?" Travis asked, clearly confused.  
>They both laughed and Madeline answered, "I kind of almost brought down a pile of blades on my head when we were in the armory."<br>"You've been here less than a day and you've already almost been killed. That's Camp Half-Blood for you," Travis responded.  
>A horn sounded in the distance, signaling passing time. Time for weapons.<p> 


	6. Weapons Practice

Madeline was sitting on the ground a few yards away watching everybody at their weapons practice battle. Travis was dueling some girl, using two double-daggers against her. Connor was battling some boy, his assigned weapon being a long spear type thing. The point of this class was to familiarize yourself with weapons you don't usually use. Demigods should be able to fight with anything, according to the instructor. Madeline wasn't familiar with any weapons, other than what she's seen in movies and heard about. The instructor, an older camper named Chris, said that Madeline should sit back and watch for the few first minutes. She was amazed at how intense these battles were between the teenagers in front of her. She felt like there was a war going on and had to remind herself that this was only practice. She walked up to Chris a few minutes in and decided that she wanted to try. He looked her up and down and began to think about her weapon.  
>"This is your first time ever battling?" he asked her, trying to narrow things down. It was true. Madeline had always had a peaceful childhood, ignored bullies and didn't get physically involved in any trouble. She was, until today, a pacifist. She liked using words to solve things, instead of just ending things with fists. It seemed more ethical to teach a lesson and leave an impression. But now she was faced with a whole new setting. She was a demigod, and demigods have to be able to fight. This was never the case for her, until now.<br>_'I guess defeating someone in battle leaves an impression,'_ she thought.  
>"Yes," she answered out loud, feeling a little foolish at admitting that. Here she was, surrounded by people who looked like expert warriors, and the most she'd ever held in her hands was a kitchen knife.<br>"You can't go wrong with a sword," he stated, handing her a simple, long blade with a black hilt. I was a little heavy, but Madeline would have to make do. They walked over to an open spot amongst the fighters and began practicing. Chris gave her simple pointers; keep a strong stance, don't rush, think clearly, stay focused. He showed her how to hold her sword, and then began "attacking" in slow motions, giving her instructions the whole time. The other campers had dispersed and were taking a break, now watching the instructor and new girl "battle". Madeline realized she must look pathetic, and felt an embarrassed blush grow in her cheeks. But she ignored that and focused on her opponent. Chris started to speed up his movements, until they were going at a pace just good enough to look like a decent fight.  
>"She's not that bad," commented Travis as he walked over to his brother who was intently watching them.<br>"Seems like a quick learner," Connor replied. Madeline looked very focused as he watched her. She moved gracefully, he thought, almost seeming as if she was dancing as she maneuvered around Chris.  
>'<em>Like a ballerina<em>,' he thought with a small smile.  
>After a few minutes of sword fighting for the first time, Madeline stumbled when she backed up from Chris' blade and fell onto her butt, ending up with a sword positioned to her neck and the word, "Dead," coming from the mouth of her instructor. Madeline dropped her shoulders as she was defeated and accepted Chris' hand as he helped her up.<br>"Back to training everyone," Chris said to the observing crowd. They all picked up their weapons and the sound of clashing metal and determined grunts resumed.  
>"Nice job, Madeline," Connor told her as he passed to his partner. She nodded her thanks and felt a smile grow on her face. Connor's compliment made her feel like she was blushing, but thankfully she already looked flustered from her sword fighting, so you couldn't tell.<br>"That's a good starting point for you to improve on," Chris approved.  
>"So, just keep practicing?" she asked, wanting to fight again. And not fall this time.<br>"Exactly. That's the only way to get better," he pointed out. "Stoll, get over here."  
>Both Travis and Connor halted their partners as they perked up to Chris's call.<br>"_Travis_, get over here," he corrected himself. "Practice with Madeline."  
>"Sure thing," he answered, smirking at Madeline as Chris walked away to check the other training campers.<br>"So, how do you feel about your first sword fight?" Travis asked her.  
>She thought about it and safely answered, "I think I wasn't completely terrible."<br>"You were pretty good for a beginner. Fighting is in your blood, you know. It's in all of our blood."  
>"Actually, I think I'm AB+," she joked. They both laughed.<br>"Shall we begin?" he prompted, bowing to her.  
>"We shall," Madeline answered, laughing at his clowning.<br>The two picked up at the speed she'd left off with Chris, which Madeline figured was slower than what Travis was used to, from watching him fight at quite an impressive speed earlier with his first partner, but he politely compromised for her. They kept up the fighting for a few minutes, until Madeline lunged at him. Travis dodged her attack, hooked her leg with his sword, and caught her right before she hit the ground. She winced, and he teased her as he held her defeated like that, with his sword curved at her neck and his hand on her back.  
>"Dead," he taunted.<br>"Yeah, yeah," she said, chuckling as he stood her up. Connor watched them as he fought his partner, and was "killed" due to his distraction. He looked at his brother training with Madeline and wanted to be the one laughing with her and helping her up. He walked over to them and hid his jealousy with witty banter.  
>"Killing the newbie. How rude, Travis."<br>"I'm just trying to help," he said, defended himself with his hands in the air.  
>"It's okay. This is actually kinda fun," Madeline interjected between the two brothers.<br>"Fun?" Connor asked.  
>"Maybe that's not the best word," she replied. "But it is interesting."<br>"Well then, mind if I test your skills," Connor asked, directing the question towards Travis, too.  
>"Fine with me," Travis replied, walking towards his water.<br>"Sure," Madeline added. The two started up, Connor spinning his spear weapon this way and that against Madeline's sword, making for a new kind of battle. They had been reflecting each other's blows back and forth for what seemed like a long time before something happened. Madeline swung her sword, just like all the times before, but Connor was distracted and met the sword with his arm. Madeline immediately dropped her sword and rushed towards Connor. It hurt, but he hadn't been planning to stop. You wouldn't stop in battle. Besides, the cut wasn't too serious, and some ambrosia would easily heal it. But he had to stop once Madeline dropped her weapon and was running towards him. Connor stood there, using his spear like a cane, while Madeline fussed over the gash she'd given him.  
>"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to. Are you alright?" she blurted out nervously.<br>"Madeline! I'm fine, it's just a... cut," he assured her, interrupting her state of panic.  
>"Well, I guess I made my first kill," she joked, smiling feebly.<br>"Actually, I think I would be the one who made the kill, since you pretty much surrendered," Connor said, slowly shifting his spear up and then swiftly positioning the tip at her throat with his wounded arm, and his good arm hooked behind her neck, holding her in place. Madeline rolled her eyes at her slip-up and held her hands up. Connor released her and then added, "But whatever," shrugging his shoulders with a smug grin on his face.  
>"What about your arm?" she asked as they walked to the bench nearby.<br>"Ambrosia," he replied, taking out a plastic bag from a duffle under the seat. It was a medical bag.  
>"Right, Ambrosia. That clears everything right up," she said sarcastically, scrunching her eyebrows together.<br>"It's the food of the gods. We can only eat a little, unless you want to turn into ashes. But when you eat a little, it heals you completely. So I'll be fine. This isn't even that bad a wound, " he explained, while he began wrapping his forearm in bandages and chewed on the little golden square he had put in his mouth.  
>"Whatever you say," said Madeline. She sighed and sat down. Travis walked over to the bench where the two were sitting and instinctively took over bandaging his brother's arm, tying the fabric in a tight knot for him. He clapped his brother on the shoulder, bringing an annoyed wince out of him.<br>"Impressive. You got a slash in on your first day," Travis joked, looking at his younger brother's bandaged arm.  
>"Accidentally," she defended.<br>"We're gonna have to keep an eye on this one Connor," Travis continued.  
>"I know. She's a monster," Connor followed.<br>The horn blew and everyone began putting away their weapons. Travis went his own way, leaving Madeline and Connor alone, and they stayed behind in the arena with a few stray campers scattered around. It was starting to get dark outside and the sky was painted red and purple with the colors of sunset.  
>"The sunset's gorgeous, isn't it," said an Aphrodite girl, coming up next to the two of them and catching Connor's gaze. "It'd look even better on the beach."<br>She must've assumed Madeline would leave, seeing as she wasn't being at all subtle with her seduction.  
>"I think I'm just gonna go for a walk," Madeline said meekly, taking the hint.<br>"C'mon Connor," the girl said, grabbing his hand and trailing him behind her.  
>"Yeah, I'm just gonna go," mumbled Madeline as she turned away, barely audible.<br>"Hey, I'll see you at the campfire tonight," Connor called out as he was lured away. Madeline held her hand up, about to wave, but lowered it, knowing he wouldn't see. The pair's backs were turned as they walked away.  
><em>'Have fun,'<em> she added in her head as she heard the girl's voice die away.


	7. Clarisse Happens

Most of the campers were heading back to their cabins to get ready for the campfire, including Madeline.  
>By now, it was dark out and the only light came from torches placed around the campgrounds, and the moon. She had taken a nice, calm walk around Camp Half-Blood after being left alone. A lot of the kids said hello to her, and she was glad to say hi back.<br>_'There's a lot of friendly people here,'_ she noted, smiling at the thought. The Hermes cabin was in sight when she felt someone yank her back by her shirt. She staggered backwards from the force and almost fell. Madeline spun around, her smile disappearing, looking for the cause of the force and was face to face with a big, mean looking girl. She was taller than Madeline, and had a malicious grin on her face as she looked down at her.  
>"You're the new girl, right?" she demanded.<br>"I'm _Madeline_," she answered in a confused tone, in shock from the girl's aggressiveness. She didn't want to be rude, but she was outraged. "Can I help you?" she continued in a less patient tone.  
>"I'm Clarisse. Come with me. Seeing as you're the newbie in camp, I have something for you."<br>Before Madeline could object, Clarisse grabbed a fistful of her t-shirt from the back of her neck and began shoving her forward.  
>"Hey, what are you <em>doing<em>?" Madeline protested loudly. The campers around them were all murmuring with the people next to them and shaking their heads, looking at Madeline.  
><em>'So much for friendly,'<em> she thought in a panic as Clarisse steered her towards the bathhouse.  
>"This'll be fun," Clarisse said in a tone filled with bitterness and hatred.<br>"Let go of me!" Madeline screeched, struggling to get free from Clarisse's iron grip. She couldn't resist too much or else she would choke herself. She swung her arms around, now desperate to get away from Clarisse. She was practically tripping over her own feet as she tried to stop walking, but her efforts were futile against Clarisse's strength.  
>"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?" Madeline screamed, beating on whatever meaty parts of Clarisse she could reach. They were near the entrance of the bathhouse, and Madeline's terrible, unknown fate, when Clarisse tripped over something and fell to the ground with a thud, dragging down Madeline with her. Madeline was choking as she lied on her back, trying to get free. Clarisse's face and most of her torso landed in a pile of mud, and she released her grip. Madeline had just missed the mud, thankfully, and hurried to get up before the monster girl got her again. She rolled off her back and jumped up. She looked back before running away and saw that her savior was a tree root.<br>"Sorry Clarisse!" Madeline called over her shoulder as she ran away and put as much distance between her and the bully as she could. She felt bad, but she wasn't going to help her up. Madeline could only imagine what Clarisse had planned to do. She heard the gasps and shocked voices around her as she fled. Madeline, being a quick and light runner, made it to Thalia's tree in a flash; it was the first safe place she could think of. She must've looked insane to anyone who noticed her, her hair flying around as she started smiling and laughing psychotically to herself on her way to the hill.  
><em>'I got away!'<em> was all she could think incredulously, pressing her fingertips to her mouth.  
>She plopped down against Thalia's tree, catching her breath from her sprint. She rubbed the bark of Thalia's Pine, admiring the magnificent tree.<br>"I'm sorry for what happened to you, Thalia. I wish you could see this place you never got to enjoy."  
>Madeline sat in silence for a few minutes before getting up. She could tell from the noise and glow of a fire that the Campfire must be behind the cabins, by the Amphitheater. That meant Madeline had to go all the way back across camp.<br>"Oh well," she said aloud to herself. She walked back, staying to the sides of the path just to be safe.

It was really dark now, and the fire looked like a giant lantern in the center of the surrounding log benches and tables. Madeline grabbed some s'more ingredients from a table and sat down on an empty log, one in the shadow of the fire's flames, so as to not be noticed. She felt like she was being watched after the incident with Clarisse.  
>There was a pleasant feel to the atmosphere, very comfy and cheerful. She was enjoying her s'mores when a few kids sat down next to her. She jumped a little but then realized it was Annabeth and some of her friends.<br>"Hey Annabeth," Madeline greeted them, feeling silly for reacting like she did. They didn't seem to notice though.  
>"Hi," she responded. "Guys, this is Madeline, the new girl at camp."<br>"We've met," said Grover with a nod, referring to the climbing wall from earlier today.  
>"I'm Percy," said a handsome boy with black hair and green eyes. Madeline smiled as she shook all of their hands.<br>"Like she said, I'm Madeline."  
>"Nice to meet you," Percy replied.<br>"So, how's your first day been so far?" Annabeth asked her.  
>"It's been good," Madeline answered in a cheery voice. "I had a good time. I mean, besides Clarisse-"<br>"Oh. Don't feel bad. Almost happened to me on my first day, too," Percy interjected.  
>"It <em>only<em> almost happened to me, too. I got away after she tripped and fell into some mud. Lucky me," Madeline replied with a grimace, wondering how happy Clarisse would be the next time she saw her.  
>They all froze for a second and then burst out laughing.<br>"That is the best thing I've heard all day!" laughed Annabeth.  
>"I'm sad I missed that!" agreed Percy. Grover was just bleating away in joy.<br>_'So I'm not the only one who doesn't like Clarisse,'_ thought Madeline with a grin.  
>"So, where are the Stolls?" asked Annabeth, after there laughter subsided.<br>"I actually don't know where they are. Connor said he would be here, but I wasn't gonna go looking for him. He went to the beach with some Aphrodite girl," explained Madeline, raising her eyebrows knowingly.  
>"Oh, yeah. Makes sense," replied Percy, grinning at the thought. Annabeth smacked him playfully on the arm. Madeline just noticed that they were holding hands.<br>_'They're a couple,'_ Madeline thought, making a mental note. _'Damn_._'_  
>They talked and joked and laughed and had a good time for the next few hours. It felt like normal camp, marshmallows by the fire and campfire sing-alongs led by the Apollo cabin. The campers started to clear out around 10 to go to bed. Apparently, lights-out was at 11:00 pm. They all said good bye to each other before departing.<br>"Goodnight," Madeline said as she left.  
>"Night, Madeline," Annabeth said.<br>"Don't let the Harpies bite," mused Percy.  
>'<em>That's a weird saying<em>,' thought Madeline as she walked to the Hermes cabin among the other campers.  
>She walked through the front door and found the two Stolls sitting in the common room.<br>"There you guys are. You missed the campfire," she said, stating the obvious.  
>"Chiron caught us and sent us to the cabin," explained Connor.<br>"What a shame. Anyway, I met Clarisse while you guys were gone."  
>Both boys sat up and stared at her.<br>"_Ooh_. You know, we keep telling Chiron he should keep her on a leash, but he never listens to us. How was the toilet?" Travis sympathized.  
>"Don't feel bad. That's just how Clarisse says hello. Neanderthals aren't good at using their words. She's just a fan of swirlies."<br>There was a moment of silence.  
>"Wait, what?" Madeline replied in shock.<br>'_So that's what she had planned,_' Madeline thought with a shiver as she imagined the inside of the Camp Half-Blood public toilets.  
>"Why does everyone assume I got a swirly? No. I got away. She tripped over a tree root, and... fell into some mud," Madeline explained.<br>Travis and Connor stared at her in disbelief, and then burst into laughter, practically falling out of their seats. That seemed to be a common reaction to what happened to Clarisse, since the other campers in the cabin who overheard the conversation also laughed their heads off.  
>"That's great!" exclaimed Travis, holding his middle.<br>"The whole camp's gonna love this!" said Connor, doubled over in laughter.  
>"Yeah, and I'm sure Clarisse will be thrilled the next time she sees me," interjected Madeline over their cabins laughter.<br>"It'll be fine. You're gonna be a legend," said Connor, apparently trying to comfort her.  
>"That's a risky move Madeline, beating up the toughest inmate the first day," joked Travis.<br>"I didn't mean to do it! She just tripped," defended Madeline, though she couldn't help but join in on the laughing. "I'm gonna go to bed. It was a busy first day for me. Thanks for dealing with the new girl," she said before waving behind her and entering the chatter-filled girls' side of the cabin.  
>She poked her head back out and added, "Oh, and I hope your arm feels better Connor, sorry about that."<br>"No problem. Night, Madeline," Connor replied, smiling at her.  
>"Don't let the Harpies bite," she heard Travis call after her.<br>_'Today was definitely something,'_ she thought to herself as she got ready for bed. '_I'm a demigod._'  
>She lied down in bed and thought about everything. A few girls in the room made small talk with her before she dozed off; Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, hope you had a good first day, friendly demigod camp advice ('Note to self: The Pegasi don't like baby talk).<br>She fell asleep soon after lights-out was called and the cabin went mostly silent.

**Earlier that day**

Connor was grinning about his time on the beach with that Aphrodite girl. Kara, he thought, not trying very hard to remember. They hadn't really bothered with names much during the make-out session. The girls just couldn't resist the Stoll charm, he joked smugly.  
>"Gotta' love those Aphrodite girls," he sighed out loud.<br>He had been on his way to the Campfire when Chiron trotted up next to him.  
>"Where do you think you're going?" asked Chiron, look down at the boy with crossed arms.<br>"To the campfire," Connor answered nonchalantly.  
>"Have you forgotten that you caused a war to breakout amongst the Aphrodite cabin?" Chiron prompted.<br>"Never. But we were merely trying to bring joy and laughter to this hum-drum place. Why are we getting punished for doing our dear camp a service?" the boy replied.  
>"You are to join your brother in your cabin. If I see you out, you can expect armor polishing for a week," the centaur warned. He stopped in front of the walking boy and pointed towards the Hermes cabin. Connor obeyed begrudgingly and walked towards Cabin #11.<br>"If I must Chiron-" Connor started in a pleading, pouting voice.  
>"Go," Chiron ordered.<br>"Goodnight Chiron!" he said, blowing a dramatic kiss before he entered his cabin.  
>Connor plopped down onto a chair in the common room across from his brother, who was sprawled out on a couch, tossing a ball in the air out of boredom.<br>"This sucks, Dude," Connor complained.  
>"Obviously," Travis stated.<br>The boys ran their fingers through their curly hair while they thought of how to conquer their boredom, which had already begun to make them itch.  
>"So, how'd the tour go with Madeline?" Travis teased, wiggling his eyebrows.<br>"It was fine. And why say it like that?" Connor asked, raising his head from edge of the chair.  
>"Oh come on dude, you've practically been drooling over her!"<br>"I have not! I've just been being nice to her."  
>"Sure you have. Tell me how she even got near you with her sword. It's her first day and you've been training for years. Were you, by chance, distracted?"<br>In truth, Connor _had_ been distracted by the way she was biting her lip and lightly scrunching her eyebrows together while she tried to focus on the battle. It disoriented him a bit, to say the least. Madeline was a pretty girl.  
>"I was just going easy on her and I guess I went too easy," he lied, prying himself away from that train of thought.<br>"Aww, how sweet. You care about the new girl."  
>"Whatever, Travis! You're the one who's been all over her all day."<br>"I was just being a friendly guy. And like you said, she's not ugly," replied Travis, grinning and raising his eyebrows.  
>He grimaced, thinking about how dumb he'd looked earlier today at lunch in front of Madeline. The Stoll brothers are supposed to be smooth and charming with girls. That wasn't anything other than plain embarrassing.<br>"Don't worry, she's not a big flirt."  
>"I didn't notice," Connor lied again.<br>"How do you think Capture the Flag is gonna go down tomorrow?" Connor asked, changing the subject. He knew his brother was getting a kick out of seeing him squirm.  
>"I think it'll be interesting."<br>Connor imagined Madeline getting beaten by anyone in camp tomorrow. It was upsetting, because it was very likely.  
>"Yeah. That's gonna be fun," Connor replied.<br>Just then, campers started walking into the cabin, ending the Stolls' discussion.  
>"There you guys are," Madeline said as she entered the Hermes cabin a few minutes later. "You missed the campfire," she continued, sounding a bit confused. They talked for the next few minutes until Madeline excused herself for bed.<br>She poked her head back into the lounge and apologized for hurting Connor.  
>"No problem. Night, Madeline," Connor said to her, trying not to smile so widely.<br>"Don't let the harpies bite," Travis called after her.  
>The two boys went to their beds on the boys' side of the cabin once they called lights-out.<p> 


	8. Harpie

Madeline woke up and was confused when she saw darkness outside.  
><em>'It's still night,'<em> her mind told her. She lied in her bed, staring at the ceiling, and tried to go back to sleep, but she was wide awake now.  
>She hopped out of her bunk, making sure to be quiet, and pulled out her bags from underneath the bed. It was a little strange since there was a girl sleeping in the bottom bunk, but she managed. Madeline pulled out her guitar case and tip-toed towards the door. It squeaked as she pried it open, and she winced as she begged for the noise to stop. Madeline didn't want to disturb the rest of the cabin.<br>She closed the door behind her and made her way towards the beach, following the path illuminated by the moonlight. It was beautiful, and very peaceful, too. Madeline embraced the calmness and enjoyed the quiet that was so unlike the energetic chaos she had seen during the day, though she loved that.  
>Meanwhile, back in the Hermes cabin, Connor had been lying awake, not being able to sleep. He tried, but couldn't. Some time, early in the morning, he heard the old door of the cabin squeak, and knew someone was sneaking out. By the time on his watch, Connor knew it was around 3 am. He got out of bed and looked out the window to see who the idiot was. His heart stuttered when he saw Madeline walking down the path.<br>_'What is she doing?!'_ thought Connor to himself as he rushed to put on his shoes and a shirt over his bare chest, running out the door. Madeline was already far down the path and he didn't dare shout her name. If they caught him, he and Madeline would both be in deep trouble. He made his way after her, staying in the shadows and stepping on as little leaves as possible. He saw her turn onto the beach, into the open.  
><em>'This girl is has a ridiculous skill of finding ways to get herself killed,'<em> Connor thought to himself in a panic as he rushed forward.  
>He started running, since he could risk it with the sand muffling his travel, staying to the edge of trees that border the beach. He stayed in the shadows. With Madeline still far ahead of him, the sound of guitar notes reached Connor's ears. He stopped in his tracks.<br>_'Is she trying to broadcast where she is to them?!'_ Connor screamed mentally, continuing towards her. Her strumming was actually very beautiful, and Connor acknowledged this, but he couldn't stop to admire. He came up behind the unsuspecting girl and made her heart skip a beat in shock.  
>Madeline tensed up and the sound of her guitar playing was soiled as one of the cords snapped, the disoriented sound echoing through the air. She jumped at the feel of a hand on her shoulder.<br>"Madeline," Connor hissed in a hushed tone.  
>"Connor! You scared me. What are you doing?" Madeline stuttered, putting her guitar back into its case and pushing it behind her back in embarrassment. She clearly didn't catch the hint that she should be quiet.<br>Connor pulled her up from her spot on the sand by her wrist and began pulling her behind him.  
>Connor didn't want to be so rough with her, but this was an emergency. Madeline, though confused, followed him in a stumble.<br>"Connor, what are you doing?" she repeated, tugging her arm away and stopping.  
>"I'll tell you in the cabin," he replied in a hushed tone. "And quiet down!"<br>He started pulling her again towards the safety of the Hermes cabin when they heard a terrifying voice.  
>"Hello?" the voice chirped.<br>Connor practically threw them into a bush at the sound.  
>Before she could react, he held her still by her shoulder and put a finger to his lips. Madeline silenced herself as she looked at his tense posture and intent eyes, looking out beyond the bush.<br>Madeline was ashamed, at a time like that, to notice that Connor looked handsome with the shadows of the moonlight streaming through the bush's leaves strewn across his face.  
>"Campers? I kn-know you're o-out there," said the sickly sweet voice that gave Madeline goosebumps. There was something unsettling, beyond the obvious, about the way it stuttered and spoke in awkward pauses. She quickly snapped out of her thought about Connor and forced herself to pay attention to the problem at hand.<br>"Come out now, I can s-sense you," it continued, its creaky, clucking voice haunting the still air -which was now more terrifying than calm. Madeline could tell where the voice was coming from, but couldn't match it to its owner.  
>Slowly, a figure came out from the shadows across the way from Connor and Madeline. It was hard to see the features of the thing, not that Madeline wanted to, but she was appeared to be hunched over. There was a long flowing cloak that she wore, trailing behind her and slithering over the ground and through the leaves like a taunting, hissing snake. They didn't dare move from their uncomfortable position, contorted in the bush, as the figure moved forward. The earthy smell of the bush calmed Madeline, so she closed her eyes and tried to focus on that. It scanned the area, searching for the two campers that it could smell. Madeline's hand that wasn't gripping her guitar case for dear life was clenched around Connor's wrist. He was surprised at her firm hold, which was slightly painful. He looked at her and gave her a calm look, which was not at all what he was feeling inside. But he knew that if Madeline saw how freaked out he was, she might have a stroke.<br>"Don't fret d-demigods. I w-will find you," the voice taunted. The cloaked woman passed their hiding spot and continued down the path. Terrified, Madeline saw two giant scaly feet with talons where the persons feet should be. The bright moon accentuated the woman's eeriness as she seemed to hop away, glowing around her outline and making her a scary silhouette in the night. Madeline followed Connor's lead and didn't move for a while, even after the woman was out of sight. She thought she had just seen a giant, talking chicken woman.  
>They stayed in silence until finally Connor turned to Madeline and mouthed the word, "Run."<br>She paused for a second and then fled after Connor as he sprinted towards the Hermes cabin. They bursted inside and Connor slowly closed the door behind them, cringing at its creaking. They stood there, a few feet apart in silence for a moment, catching their breath.  
>Madeline had to swallow a few times, because her mouth was so dry, before she spoke.<br>"Connor?" she asked, looking outside the window to the empty scene outside. It looked as if nothing happened.  
>"Why would you leave the cabin at night?" he asked, exasperation oozing out in his hushed voice. He hadn't seemed to notice she had said anything.<br>"I'm sorry!" Madeline replied, pleading him not to be angry. "No one told me there was a-a- What was that thing?"  
>Connor stared at her, his eyebrows scrunched together as he looked at her. He was taller than her, so he bowed his head a little to make eye contact.<br>"No one warned you? Are you kidding me?" asked Connor, sounding confused now. How had no one warned her about them? He had mentioned the Harpies earlier, but he felt guilty for making it seem like a joke.  
>"No! What was that?" repeated Madeline, begging him to stay on topic. He was barely listening to what she said.<br>"It was a Harpie. There are three Harpie sisters at camp. During the day, they're like maids, but they're like watch guards at night. Campers out of bed past curfew get eaten," he explained in a low voice, since the rest of the cabin was still sound asleep, unaware of Connor and Madeline's near death experience. He sighed and slumped over to a couch, falling down onto it. Madeline sat down across from him, pulling her knees up to her chest and looking at the floor near him, placing her guitar case on the couch.  
>"That's kind of extreme," commented Madeline after a moment of silence. She lifted her head to see Connor chuckle, breaking the tension.<br>"What isn't at Camp Half-Blood?" he mused, looking at her with a smile. She smiled back.  
>Connor glanced over at her guitar, thinking back to how the cord snapped.<br>He frowned before saying, "You're playing was really nice. Sorry for that," gesturing towards the instrument. Madeline blushed a little and looked away, cracking a small smile. She was glad the darkness stopped him from seeing her properly. Even though Connor was becoming a good friend to her, she had still only know him for a day. She would have rather have revealed her guitar another way other than during a near death experience.  
>"Thanks. I didn't really mean for anyone to hear though, that's kinda why I left the cabin."<br>"Oh," Connor replied. He thought for a second and then added, "I still think you were really good."  
>Madeline looked at him again and smiled.<br>"Thanks, Connor."  
>After a moment, he said, "So, now you know not to go out during the feasting hours, right?"<br>"Definitely. But, when is it safe?" Madeline asked, now calmed down from the previous events.  
>"I'd say they lose their appetite around sunrise," Connor answered with a nod.<br>The two breathed in silence for a while, finally relaxing.  
>"Thanks again. For keeping me from dying," she said, raising her eyebrows to herself in awe and slightly shaking her head, "again."<br>"No problem," he said, smiling at her thanks. He didn't mind saving her.  
>"Goodnight," she said as she left for bed, after picking up her guitar and frowning for a moment.<br>"Night," Connor replied, turning to watch her leave.  
>With a devilish grin, he added, "Don't let the Harpies bite."<br>He enjoyed the ring of her quiet laugh as she disappeared. It sounded like a happy bell. He couldn't help but smile, even though she couldn't see him.  
>He sat there for a moment, thinking about Madeline.<br>He returned to bed and fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	9. Showdown

Madeline woke up to the noise of the girls around her shuffling and chatting as they got out of bed.  
>She rubbed her eyes with a yawn, sliding out of her top bunk with a sleeping thump as her feet touched down onto the wood floor, and joined them.<br>"Mornin' New Girl," greeted one of the daughters of Hermes.  
>"Her name's Madeline," said Lucy as she came around the corner.<br>"Mornin' _Madeline_," the Hermes girl corrected, throwing a sarcastic smile towards Lucy.  
>"Good morning," replied Madeline, smiling at their bickering.<br>All the girls small talked, being friendly and making for a good start to the morning. After showering and getting ready for the day, Madeline left the cabin. She left her long, dark, curly hair down around her caramel face and proudly wore her orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, shivering excitedly as the morning breeze hit her. She looked at the bush she and Connor had hidden in last night and smiled a little, turning to look at the ground. She looked back up after getting her smiling under control and noticed that their hiding place was greener and bushier than all the other shrubbery around.  
>'<em>Lucky us<em>,' thought Madeline. She shivered again, only this time thinking about how she would have ended up if it weren't for Connor, the cheer on her face being replaced with a slight crease between her eyebrows. With breakfast open until 9 in the morning, Madeline decided to walk around camp for a quiet time. Several campers congratulated her on "teaching Clarisse a lesson". After several failed attempts to tell their smirking faces that it was a misunderstanding, Madeline gave up and would just smile and nod as she passed, swallowing an arising worry. Most of the campers knew by now who the new girl was; '_Thanks to a tree root_,' she thought.  
>Madeline walked along the beach, leaving footprints in the wet sand while she held her shoes and socks in her hands. She took in the sounds of the waves and the smell of the ocean. She passed by campers every now and then, waving and smiling a simple grin. It warmed her heart. Most kids were up and about by now, so she felt more awake having the liveliness surrounding her. She risked looking like a loon and did a cartwheel before leaving the beach, just for fun. She may be a klutz, but Madeline was at least good with tumbling, being small and flexible like she was. She humored herself by landing with one pointed foot forward and her wrists flicked above her head. She laughed with a smile on her face as she walked to breakfast. Madeline got her food when she entered the pavilion and gave some of her eggs and bacon to Hermes as an offering.<br>"Thank you, Hermes, for providing a home for me at the moment while my godly parent takes their sweet time claiming me," she whispered. "And thanks for Travis and Connor," she added, glancing around to see if anyone was paying attention to her. "They've been good friends to me since I got here."  
>Madeline spotted the Stoll brothers at the crowded Hermes table and started towards them. She was about to sit down, but then turned around and poured a piece of her breakfast into Zeus' brazier. This earned her a few looks from the campers around her.<br>"What was that for?" Travis asked her she sat down across from the two brothers.  
>Madeline opened her mouth to reply and hesitated, shrugging as she looked down at her plate, nonchalantly moving her food around with a fork.<br>"I just thought it was a nice thing of Zeus to do," she said sheepishly. "You know, Thalia's Pine."  
>She looked up at the brothers and added, "I thought the gods were supposed to be totally selfish."<br>"They are," Connor said bluntly.  
>Madeline shrugged her shoulders again and raised her eyebrows as if to say '<em>Perhaps,<em>' causing him to crack a smile on his serious face.  
>"But they're not heartless," he agreed. "At least not all the time."<br>"So, I take it you didn't take my advice to not let the Harpies bite?" Travis taunted while they ate their breakfast, letting out a stifled laugh.  
>"You told him?" Madeline chided Connor, blushing slightly from embarrassment.<br>"I wasn't making fun of you, I swear. I was just... letting him know," Connor defended, a smile forming on his amused face.  
>Madeline waved her hand, signaling to the two boys that they could laugh. She had to admit, after you got past the seriousness of it, it was a funny story.<p>

"So, what's up with Capture the Flag?" Madeline prompted as they left the mess hall.  
>"What about it?" asked Travis, making a face at the vague question.<br>"I mean... what's it like? Clearly, it's not like normal, mere-mortal capture the flag. So, what?" she elaborated.  
>"It has the same objective; get the other team's flag to your own side. Just add weapons and battling demigods to the mix and that's pretty much it," Connor replied.<br>Travis excused himself as they walked point and left towards a tall brunette girl. He came up behind her and stole her from her conversation with some of her friends as he picked her up her waist, spinning her around. Travis laughed as he put her down and she nudged him away, concealing a smile on her lips. She dodged a kiss on the cheek as he leaned down to sneak one in. She held up the piece of paper in her hand to his face and walked away, Travis jogging after her. Madeline smiled at the display.  
>They disappeared into the busy flow of campers, leaving Connor and Madeline. She smiled and shook her head at Travis.<br>"Who was that?" asked an amused Madeline as they continued on their destinationless walk.  
>"That was Katie Gardner, a daughter of Demeter. She's the goddess of nature and plants and stuff," Connor answered in an uninterested tone. She had heard him groan at his older brother's display of PDA.<br>"Good for them. They seem to be enjoying themselves," said Madeline with a joking smile.  
>"It's like a forbidden love, though. The Hermes and Demeter cabin are sworn enemies," Connor explained in a dramatic voice. "I guess they don't like our pranks," he added, a wicked smirk growing on his face.<br>"So," Madeline asked, "where to?"  
>"To get you ready for Capture the Flag, of course," he answered.<br>"By?"  
>"Just some armor, a weapon, the basic stuff for Capture the Flag," he teased.<br>Madeline just sighed and followed Connor. They arrived at the Armory and Madeline tenderly followed Connor inside, remembering her last visit.  
>They walked up to a big, dark-skinned boy who was sharpening a menacing looking blade.<br>"Mason," Connor greeted him, the two of them nodding at each other.  
>"Hey," Mason replied in a deep voice. He looked at Madeline, who was standing next to Connor with her hands held behind her back.<br>"Hey. I'm Madeline," she said with a nice smile, holding out her hand.  
>Mason reached out to shake her hand, making Madeline's dainty hand look like a little child's compared to his huge, callused ones. He enveloped her hand in both of his, shaking them in greeting.<br>"Nice to meet you, Madeline," he said, keeping a stern face.  
>"Nice to meet you, too, Mason," responded Madeline, smiling her high beams at him.<br>"Madeline here needs a helmet, breastplate, shield, the basics," explained Connor. "It's gonna be her first game of Capture the Flag tonight."  
>"Hmm," grumbled Mason, nodding and looking Madeline up and down before disappearing into a back room nearby.<br>Madeline turned to Connor after he chuckled, and curiously asked, "What?"  
>"Are you scared of Mason?" he asked with a grin.<br>"No. Not scared. He's just... a big guy," Madeline replied simply, not letting the smug boy enjoy this.  
>"Sure," Connor teased. "But actually, Mason is probably one of the nicest guys you'll ever meet."<br>"Obviously," she agreed in a sarcastic tone.  
>Just then, Mason returned, carrying a pile of various metal things. He held out a helmet with a great red mane down the center. She looked incredulously at Connor with a raised eyebrow before taking the helmet into her hands.<br>She paused to look at the ridiculous looking helmet for a moment before placing it on her head. It looked, and felt, heavy, so Madeline was surprised when it stayed on her head.  
>"Good call," Connor said, he and Mason assessing Madeline. She lifted off the helmet and placed it on the floor, taking a deep breath.<br>"Here," offered Mason, holding out a large metal shirt-like piece. "It's a breastplate. It'll keep you from getting killed out there."  
>Madeline went to grab it and was surprised at how heavy this one was.<br>'_I'm supposed to fight in all this?_' she thought to herself as she observed the breastplate.  
>"Hold it up to your chest," instructed Connor, coming up behind her. She moved her hair out of the way and did what Connor told her to do. She felt him tying and tightening different parts of the breastplate until it was snug against her body. She got goosebumps when his fingers brushed against her back every now and then.<br>"Stylish," Madeline said, looking down at her new, shiny, metal outfit.  
>"Very. How about a shield, Mason? Then we'll be outta here," said Connor.<br>"I don't know. I don't have any shields her size right now," warned Mason, "and dragging a weight around wouldn't exactly help her tonight."  
>"Okay... I'll find her one around Camp," stated Connor. "The Aphrodite girls seem to like you, and they must have a spare shield they're not using lying around."<br>"Ha. Yeah I can really tell how much they like me by all those nicely wrapped scowls and daggers they stare into my back," mused Madeline, flashing a sarcastic smile and tilting her head. This earned a laugh from all of them. Mason chuckled a deep laugh in his throat.  
>"See you guys around," said Mason, nodding them a goodbye.<br>"Later," called Connor as they started to leave.  
>"Bye Mason!" Madeline called over her shoulder as they left, carrying her helmet and wearing her breastplate. "You're right, he does seem nice," admitted Madeline as they walked away, "but I couldn't get him to smile, not even once!"<br>"You noticed," said Connor. "Most people are too busy trying not to pee their pants."  
>"So what? He just isn't a smiling type of guy?" she asked.<br>"He does, sometimes. But rarely. He's just not too open around strangers," Connor explained.  
>Madeline didn't really feel like the "new girl" when she's with Connor and Travis. They were both so welcoming, like her being here wasn't new.<br>"There's a picture someone caught of him smiling in Chiron's office. In case you never get to see it for yourself."

They made it to weapons practice and Madeline placed her things on the ground for the time being. A few campers were already there, so Connor and her started right away. Connor handed her a plain sword, since that's what she would be using in Capture the Flag tonight.  
>"You're not getting me this time," Connor warned as they walked to the practice area.<br>"I didn't mean to last time. So maybe if I actually try to get you, I will," chimed Madeline, looking sideways at him as they walked.  
>"I went easy on you yesterday," Connor taunted.<br>"Probably," agreed Madeline, shrugging her shoulders and smiling.  
>"Is it weird that I'm excited for Capture the Flag?" Madeline asked as they took up their battle stances.<br>"Totally," stated Connor, nodding towards her back leg, reminding her to stand up straight. She gave a little laugh and then they began swinging their swords. They were circling each other, ducking and dodging slashes. He and Madeline had been weaving around each other's weapons for a few minutes when Connor saw his brother arrive with Katie.  
>He returned his attention back to the task at hand.<br>"What is it?" huffed Madeline, keeping her eyes locked on Connor.  
>"Nothing," he said, dismissing the conversation. Connor saw Travis walk over to them, behind Madeline's field of vision. Travis winked, and then jumped into the fight against Madeline, making it two against one.<br>"Oh, c'mon!" Madeline protested, tilting her head at Travis.  
>"Hello to you too," he mocked. She scowled at him, but managed to keep them and their weapons at bay for half a minute. But it was over when they spun to either side of her and froze her with their blades pointed at her neck.<br>"How is that fair?" she groaned.  
>"It's not," interjected Katie with a grin, walking over to them. They lowered their swords and greeted Katie, Travis being friendlier than Connor, who just nodded to her.<br>"I'm Katie. You're Madeline, right?" the girl asked.  
>"Yeah. I'm Madeline," she replied, smiling softly at her. Travis wrapped his arm around Katie, lightly playing with her hand. It was a sweet sight.<br>Meanwhile, Connor was scraping the ground with his sword while he waited. They kept up the small talk for a short while before Connor noticed Clarisse making her way over to the weapons training area.  
>"Uh oh," Connor warned.<br>"New Girl! Get over here!" Clarisse demanded, standing with her fists by her sides. Everyone around them stopped what they were doing and turned to the scene, murmuring in anticipation. Anyone in between Clarisse and Madeline parted, leaving a clear, wide path for the girl who stood more than a foot taller than Madeline. Travis, Connor, and Katie all stayed next to her, fighting the urge to turn away.  
>Madeline stood up straighter, all cheer draining from her face.<br>"No thanks. I'll stay over here," Madeline called back, getting a small chuckle from the tense crowd. She didn't mean it as a joke.  
>"You think your clever, New Girl?" replied Clarisse, taking a few steps forward. The crowd backed away a little more. Madeline stood her ground, refusing to give up that easily against a bully. But she didn't want to fight either, especially not against this particularly big and strong bully.<br>"My name's Madeline," she corrected Clarisse. She didn't didn't want to provoke a fight, but she wasn't spineless.  
>"You think you can get away with what you did?" Clarisse said, ignoring what Madeline said.<br>"I didn't do anything!" explained Madeline, emphasizing every word. "It honestly wasn't my fault. There was a tree root. Besides, nothing wouldn't have happened if you didn't go around trying to shove people's heads into toilets, you know."  
>Clarisse progressed towards Madeline. Everyone watching felt sorry for the poor new girl.<br>Madeline kept a brave face. She was scared, but she would not cower. At least if she got her ass kicked, it would be with dignity. Or at least not completely pathetic.  
>"Maybe if you didn't go around being such a mean girl, bad things wouldn't happen to you," suggested Madeline, Clarisse now a few feet in front of her.<br>A big, dark grin spread across Clarisse's face.  
>In a flash, she was attacking Madeline. Not with a sword, but with her fists.<br>She kept swinging, but Madeline, being much smaller and quicker, was able to dodge around her punches. Connor, Travis, Katie, and the whole audience watched in amazement and terror, waiting for the new girl to get her face punched. No one was about to intervene; it was much too stunning.  
>The whole time Clarisse was trying to bash her, Madeline was trying to talk things through.<br>"Clarisse! Please, stop! Just listen and-," just then Clarisse got hold of Madeline's hair and flung her to the ground. Madeline crashed into the dirt with a hard, painful thud.  
>With the wind knocked out of her, she couldn't react. Madeline's vision went spotty, bursting with stars of light and going out of focus. With Madeline on her back, Clarisse pounced and grabbed her by her shirt, winding her arm back with her hand in a fist.<br>Katie, snapping out of her shock, ran forward and pushed Clarisse as hard as she could, knocking her off Madeline. Katie stood in front of Madeline, who was starting to get up again, and yelled, "Back off Clarisse!"  
>Clarisse pushed Katie to the ground, practically throwing her a few feet away. Travis rushed over to help her.<br>"I'm still not done with you," Clarisse said, walking towards Madeline again.  
>She stumbled backwards as Clarisse charged forward, on her feet again.<br>Clarisse grabbed hold of Madeline shirt again and smashed her back against a tree, hitting her head hard against the solid bark.  
>"Clarisse! This is ridiculous!" Connor shouted at the older girl, mustering up as much courage as he could for Madeline, himself, and the crowd watching, as he rushed forward. Clarisse wound up her arm, ready to punch Madeline, and about to deliver a killer blow, the surrounding demigods sucking in a collective breath, when someone grabbed her hand.<br>"Enough Clarisse," Mason ordered. Though Clarisse was big, Mason was bigger. He must have been the biggest guy at camp. He forced her fist to her side and held his eye contact, looking down at her. Clarisse snatched her hand away from his strong grip and backed up, letting go of the front of Madeline's shirt. She wasn't foolish enough to get into it with Mason.  
>"Whatever. See you tonight in Capture the Flag," she said with a scowl. As she walked away, she passed Madeline's helmet and gave it a good kick, sending it into a nearby bush. Connor gave a look of gratitude to Mason. The crowd converged, moving in towards Madeline. They all wanted to get a look at the girl who almost just got knocked out by Clarisse. Connor pushed through the crowd and stood beside Madeline, an angry scowl on her face and her hands balled into fists. She inhaled deeply, trying to calm herself, and smelled something pleasant, like soap and strawberries. Looking to her side, she saw Connor, realizing he was the nice scent, and unballed her hands.<br>"Clarisse is not a very nice girl," was the first thing that came out of her mouth.  
>Connor and Mason smiled, amused that she was even joking after what just happened.<br>"Thanks, Mason," Madeline said nodding at the boy, her jaw clenched tightly. She walked forward, the crowd making way for her as she moved, not wanting to just stand there while all these people stared at her. She didn't like all the attention.

"Are you okay?" Connor asked, following her through the crowd.  
>"Yeah, I'm fine. Clarisse has serious issues, though," Madeline replied. She brought a hand up to her forehead, looking at the ground and trying to make the spinning stop. Her skull ached.<br>"Here, take this," Travis said, having made his was over to where they stood. He held out a small golden square that resembled gilded chocolate. Madeline picked up the Ambrosia from Travis' palm and gingerly placed it in her mouth. Madeline savored the delicious sweet, not being able to place what it tasted like. It tasted better than anything she had ever encountered. She didn't notice when it disappeared in her mouth because she was so engrossed in the glory of it. She felt the pain in her head fade and straightened herself up.  
>"So who's up for some more practice?" she said casually, retrieving her sword.<p> 


	10. Caught

Travis had left with Katie after knowing that Madeline was okay after her encounter with Clarisse. Before he left, he turned and gave his little brother a wink when Madeline wasn't looking. Connor swatted in his direction, telling him to leave. Imagine if Madeline had seen-  
>"What was that for?" chuckled Madeline, imitating his flailing.<br>"There was a bee," Connor answered, not making eye contact as he covered his embarrassment.  
>"So, has she always been like that? Clarisse I mean?" Madeline asked.<br>"The whole time I've known Clarisse, yes," replied Connor. "Don't worry, it's really nothing personal. She tries to maim almost everyone now and then."  
>"That's good to know," mused Madeline. She picked up her breastplate. After spinning around for a moment, she asked in a confused tone, "Where's my helmet?"<br>Connor thought about it for a moment before gesturing towards the bush that held the helmet Clarisse had kicked. He'd forgotten about that.  
>"That's strange," Madeline said as she walked over to the bush.<br>Connor looked at her and asked, "What's strange?"  
>"Oh, it's just that she always seemed so calm to me is all," Madeline joked, cracking a wide grin. Connor laughed.<br>He watched as she bent over into the large bush to pick up the discarded helmet, smirking and noticing her nice shape through the jeans she was wearing. She turned and dusted off the helmet, knitting her eyebrows together and frowning down at it. Connor quickly turned around and ran his fingers through his curly hair, trying to look casual.  
>"Ready?" she chimed, unaware that she was just getting ogled at.<br>Connor just nodded, pretty sure that his voice would give him away, and they left the arena.

They walked around camp, laughing and having light conversations. They came up to the Aphrodite cabin, making sure to avoid the Ares kids and their cabin. And their weapons.  
>Connor knocked on the door, only for show though, since nobody was really in the cabin. He barely waited a second before opening the door and letting himself in.<br>Madeline placed her helmet and breastplate down on the floor, surprised at how tidy the place looked, considering there was a battle only yesterday. There were potted flowers everywhere, frilly pillows, posters of famous models and actors, and all things frivolous.  
>"If they're anything but shallow, it must be really deep down," noted Madeline, observing the room that made her woozy with all its...charm?<br>"They're not the deepest kiddie pools," Connor answered from another room, disappearing down a hallway.  
>Madeline didn't follow him, so she stood there in the middle of the main room, waiting awkwardly.<br>"We probably shouldn't be in here," cautioned Madeline, thinking back to the ferociousness that the Aphrodite girls are capable of. They might not physically harm the boys they try to seduce, but she had a feeling they would have no problem with her.  
>"I think we'll be fine," Connor answered, along with the noise of him scrimmaging through some stuff. Madeline contemplated whether or not she should follow him. After a few campers passed by the ajar doorway, she got nervous, despite the fact that they weren't paying her any attention, and went to join Connor.<br>"Did you find the shield," asked Madeline, hinting him to hurry up.  
>Connor stopped the search he was doing through one of the closets and turned around, looking baffled. "I can't think of where these girls put their armor. They may have actually gotten rid of them," he said, shaking his head.<br>"We could come back later instead of going through their stu-," Madeline began, but was interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the wooden floor of the cabin. The footsteps grew louder as they got closer to the room Madeline and Connor were in, searching through the Aphrodite girls' possessions. Madeline stared in anticipation with a blank face at the door. Connor just leaned against the wall and smirked towards the door. A group of about ten girls walked into the room, chattering and gossiping at first, but then stopping once they saw the didn't really seem to notice the new girl. They mostly only paid attention to Connor.  
>"Hello," one of the girls said, not sounding amused, though she threw a perfect smile at Connor. The rest of the girls followed suit.<br>"Hello ladies," said Connor, taking on a whole new exterior. He looked relaxed and seductive, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and sporting a cocky smirk, charming the Hades out of those Aphrodite girls. Madeline studied him while he flirted with the girls, intrigued at how naturally it came to him. When he was with Madeline, he acted like he was with a guy friend, nothing like the way he was flirting now.  
>'<em>Smooth moves, Connor,<em>' applauded Madeline in her head as she watched the girls; they were annoyed with him, she knew, but he was a good looking boy.  
>She'd heard talk around Camp about the Stoll brothers being players, but this was the first time she was really seeing it. She could understand why the girls swooned; Connor had luscious curly brown hair, gorgeous sparkly blue eyes, and a dazzling white smile that seems to be forever on his face. He was also tall and has the perfect amount of muscle, lean but still obviously strong.<br>Madeline backed away, unacknowledged, from the girls and Connor, not really sure what to do. She knew she shouldn't interrupt the Aphrodite girls, but she did anyway.  
>"Sorry to interrupt, but do you girls have any extra armor lying around? If you could just point me in the direction of a shield my size, I'll leave you guys alone," she said, waving her hands to get their attention. She bit her lip, holding back a grin.<br>Connor turned his gaze to Madeline, surprised to see her getting a kick out of the whole thing.  
>'<em>That didn't go as planned<em>,' Connor pouted mentally, standing up straight to look at Madeline and how she was smirking.  
>"Sure," one of the girls responded. "Follow me."<br>Madeline turned to look at Connor quickly before leaving the room, raising both her eyebrows and widening her eyes. He just watched as she left the room, a few other girls following.  
>Madeline followed the group of girls to a closet in the back corner of the main room.<br>They reached the closet and Madeline waited for them to open it, since that's the normal thing to do when you're getting something from inside a closet.  
>"What are you doing with Connor," one of the girls demanded, ditching her blinding smile. Madeline didn't feel intimidated though.<br>"Look, sorry for going into your cabin without permission, but we're just hanging out," replied Madeline, amused at how worked up they were.  
>Connor, apparently, was claimed territory. They all turned, making a huddle around her. An intimidation tactic.<br>'_Go sisterhood_,' Madeline thought to herself.  
>It probably worked on most girls, but not Madeline. She didn't bother with these kinds of girls.<br>One girl opened the closet door and handed Madeline a shield.  
>'<em>Could their heads be any more inflated<em>,' wondered Madeline.  
>She gingerly took the piece of metal armor and then headed towards the hallway where Connor was on the opposite end of. Making sure none of the girls were looking, she let a wide smile spread across her face. She looked towards Connor, who was ignoring the swarming girls and looking at her with an amused face. She beckoning him over and Connor and Madeline exited the cabin together, her picking up all her armor and him shutting the door behind them.<br>Madeline walked a few yards away from the cabin and let out a proper round of boastful, devilish laughter. Though she looked like a complete loon, and he didn't even know what she was laughing about, Connor couldn't help but joining Madeline in her celebration. Her laughter was contagious.  
>"What is going on?" Connor asked.<br>"I really hope I'm not on a team with those girls tonight," she answered. "That'd take all the fun out of things if I have to work _with_ them."  
>"Capture the Flag starts in an hour," a camper announced to the general public as they passed by.<br>"Nervous yet," Connor asked her, nudging her with his shoulder, noticing her lingering gaze as she followed the announcer with her slightly fazed eyes.  
>"Maybe," she admitted. "How abnormal does it really get, you know, with weapons involved and all?"<br>Connor continued walking, Madeline following behind, and answered, "On a scale from 1 to insane, I'd say 11."  
>"Fantastic," mumbled Madeline as they walked onward. He felt bad there was nothing he could do, since all campers are required to participate.<br>But he also though that she would get over her fear and eventually come to love Capture the Flag, like him and every other camper. It would be good for her.  
>"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," encouraged Connor, getting a scoff from Madeline.<br>She rolled her eyes and replied, "You make it seem as if there's not a possibility of me getting killed."


	11. Before

Connor and Madeline both headed towards the Hermes cabin. They walked in and a lot of the other Hermes children and temporary campers were already there, getting ready for Capture the Flag.  
>"This is a big thing," realized Madeline.<br>"It's huge. It's like an everlasting tradition, and people go _hard_," Connor stated. He nodded at Madeline before departing to his bunk to get ready.  
>Madeline stood near the doorway for a moment before starting towards her bunk.<br>'_Calm down Madeline_,' she screamed to herself in her head. She dropped her shield, helmet, and breastplate onto the ground before climbing onto her bunk, bringing her duffle bag of possessions up with her. Madeline doubted anything she brought from home would help her tonight, but she wanted to keep herself occupied. She searched through her clothes and things, not coming up with anything helpful. She started to speed up her rummaging when she noticed she couldn't see her most prized possession, a necklace her father gave her when she was a little girl. She reached the bottom of the bag and still couldn't find it. Madeline scanned the room in a panic, looking for a glint of her necklace; maybe it made its way out of her bag and skidded across the floor, somehow. She hopped down from her bed and shoved her head underneath the bottom bunk, hoping that her necklace was there. No such luck.  
>'<em>The last time I saw it was when Connor showed me the Hermes cabin during our tour of Camp. I took it off and put it in my bag, since I thought it would be safer there<em>,' thought Madeline as she retraced her steps. She nodded, knowing she had put it in her bag, and didn't know why her necklace didn't match up with its memory counterpart. She began scurrying around the room. She didn't bother with trying to look sane since all the other girls were in the common room in the middle of the cabin and outside. She dove underneath every bed, checking the whole area of the room. She even risked shuffling through the other's girls' beds, feeling a little guilty about it.  
>"Where is it?" Madeline said in a hushed tone. She climbed back into bed and searched through her duffle bag again. She even checked her guitar case, which held her busted instrument. Madeline, almost have forgotten about the snapped cord, sadly strummed a few notes before shutting the case. Now Madeline wasn't just desperate to find her necklace, she was angry. Connor knocked on the door frame. Madeline spun around and put a calm look on her face, taking a deep breath.<br>"You okay?" Connor asked, sensing an unfamiliar mood in her.  
>"Yeah, fine. I just lost something," Madeline answered. "Besides my sanity," she grumbled with a sigh, looking away from Connor.<br>"Was it important?" he continued, walking towards her.  
>"Yep," Madeline replied, trying not to lose her patience with Connor. He was only trying to help. It wasn't his fault her necklace had gone missing.<br>"It's a necklace my father gave me a long time ago. I left it in my stuff and now it's gone," she spoke, letting her words drop to the floor with her mood.  
>"Well, you are in a cabin full of children of the god of thieves," Connor stated, giving her a look of pity.<br>Madeline gave him a look of disbelief and then smacked her forehead with her palm, shaking her head in shame.  
>"How did I not think of that?" she sighed exasperated, throwing her arms into the air.<br>Connor assured her, "Don't worry, it'll turn up. Whoever they are, they're not the only thieves," he said, adding a wink at the end. Madeline faintly smiled at him, laughing softly.  
>"Capture the Flag starts in 30 minutes, so we should head out," Connor suggested, starting towards the door. Madeline followed him into the main room, looking around and seeing most of the people leaving, all wearing their own armor and carrying weapons.<br>Once outside of the crowded cabin, Madeline put on her breastplate, the same way Connor had before, and attached her shield to her arm with the straps it had. Since the red plumed helmet looked a little ridiculous, she just held it under her arm for now. Madeline looked like an average Camp Half-Blood camper in the crowd with her armor on.  
>'<em>Now I don't stand out like the new girl so much<em>,' she assured herself.  
>Madeline looked around and found Connor and Travis talking to some other boys.<br>'_I'll leave them be for now_,' she thought, not walking over to them.  
>Madeline really did appreciate how much they were helping her. She found it felt natural to be friends with Connor and Travis, not at all difficult, even though she'd only been here less than two days. It was an immediate friendship.<br>After standing alone in the talking crowd for a minute, Madeline heard a familiar voice.  
>"Hey, Madeline! Over here," the voice said.<br>Madeline turned to find the caller and replied with a smile and wave, going on her tip toes to see over the crowd.  
>"Hey Lucy!" Madeline called back as she made her way through the campers and found Lucy with a few other girls. They introduced themselves and small talked for a while. Madeline was glad to have something keeping her mind away from Capture the Flag, until a horn blew.<br>"That means it time for Chiron's speech," explained one of the girls as they started towards the edge of the dark forest.


	12. Capture the Flag

Madeline was sitting on the ground a few yards away watching everybody at their weapons practice battle. Travis was dueling some girl, using two double-daggers against her. Connor was battling some boy, his assigned weapon being a long spear type thing. The point of this class was to familiarize yourself with weapons you don't usually use. Demigods should be able to fight with anything, according to the instructor. Madeline wasn't familiar with any weapons, other than what she's seen in movies and heard about. The instructor, an older camper named Chris, said that Madeline should sit back and watch for the few first minutes. She was amazed at how intense these battles were between the teenagers in front of her. She felt like there was a war going on and had to remind herself that this was only practice. She walked up to Chris a few minutes in and decided that she wanted to try. He looked her up and down and began to think about her weapon.  
>"This is your first time ever battling?" he asked her, trying to narrow things down. It was true. Madeline had always had a peaceful childhood, ignored bullies and didn't get physically involved in any trouble. She was, until today, a pacifist. She liked using words to solve things, instead of just ending things with fists. It seemed more ethical to teach a lesson and leave an impression. But now she was faced with a whole new setting. She was a demigod, and demigods have to be able to fight. This was never the case for her, until now.<br>'I guess defeating someone leaves an impression,' thought Madeline  
>"Yes," she answered, feeling a little foolish at admitting that. Here she was, surrounded by people who looked like expert warriors.<br>"You can't go wrong with a sword," he stated, handing her a simple, long blade with a black hilt. I was a little heavy, but Madeline would have to make do. They walked over to an open spot amongst the fighters and began practicing. Chris gave her simple pointers; keep a strong stance, don't rush, think clearly, stay focused, etc. He showed her how to hold her sword, and then began "attacking" in slow motions, giving her instructions the whole time. The other campers had dispersed and were taking a break, now watching the instructor and new girl "battle". Madeline realized she must look pathetic, and felt a little embarrassed. But she ignored that and focused on her opponent. Chris started to speed up his movements, until they were going at a pace just good enough to look like a decent fight.  
>"She's not that bad," commented Travis as he walked over to his brother who was intently watching them.<br>"No. She seems like a quick learner," Connor replied. Madeline looked very focused as he looked at her. She moved gracefully, looking very light. She almost seemed to dance as she maneuvered around Chris.  
>'She looks like a ballerina,' Connor thought.<br>After a few minutes of sword fighting for the first time, Madeline stumbled when she backed up from Chris' blade and fell onto her butt, ending up with a sword positioned to her neck and the word, "Dead," coming from the mouth of her instructor. Madeline dropped her shoulders as she was defeated and accepted Chris' hand as he helped her up.  
>"Back to training everyone," Chris said to the observing crowd. They all picked up their weapons and the sound of clashing metal and determined grunts resumed.<br>"Nice job, Madeline," Connor told her as he passed to his partner. She nodded her thanks and felt a smile grow on her face. Connor's compliment made her feel like she was blushing, but thankfully she already looked flustered from her sword fighting, so you couldn't tell.  
>"That's a good starting point for you to improve on," Chris approved.<br>"Okay. So, just keep practicing?" she asked, wanting to fight again and not fall this time.  
>"Exactly. That's the only way to get better, isn't it," he pointed out. "Stoll, get over here."<br>Both Travis and Connor halted their partners as they perked up to Chris's call.  
>"Travis, get over here," he corrected himself. "Practice with Madeline."<br>"Sure thing," he answered, smirking at Madeline as Chris walked away to check the other training campers.  
>"So, how do you feel about your first sword fight?" Travis asked her.<br>She thought about it and safely answered, "I think I wasn't terrible."  
>"You were pretty good for a beginner. Fighting is in your blood, anyway."<br>"I suppose," she agreed.  
>"Okay, shall we begin?" he prompted, bowing to her.<br>"We shall," Madeline answered, laughing at his clowning.  
>The two picked up at the speed she'd left off with Chris, which Madeline figured was slower than what Travis was used to, from watching him fight at quite an impressive speed earlier with his first partner, but he politely compromised for her. They kept up the fighting for a few minutes, until Madeline lunged at him. Travis dodged her attack, hooked her leg with his sword, and caught her right before she hit the ground. She winced, and he teased her as he held her defeated like that, with his sword curved at her neck and his hand on her back.<br>"Dead," he taunted.  
>"Mean," she joked back at him, chuckling as he stood her up. Connor watched them as he fought his partner, and was "killed" due to his distraction. He looked at his brother training with Madeline and wanted to be the one laughing with her and helping her up. He walked over to them and hid his jealousy with witty banter.<br>"Killing the newbie, how rude Travis," he goofed.  
>"I'm just trying to help," he said, defended himself with his hands in the air.<br>"It's okay. This is actually kinda fun," Madeline interjected between the two brothers.  
>"Fun?" Connor asked.<br>"Maybe that's not the best word, but it is interesting," she replied.  
>"Well then, mind if I test your skills," Connor asked, directing the question towards Travis, too.<br>"Fine with me," Travis replied, walking towards his water.  
>"Sure," Madeline added. The two started up, Connor spinning his spear weapon this way and that against Madeline's sword, making for a new kind of battle. They had been reflecting each other's blows back and forth for what seemed like a long time before something happened. Madeline swung her sword, just like all the times before, but Connor was distracted and met the sword with his arm. Madeline immediately dropped her sword and rushed towards Connor. It hurt, but he hadn't been planning to stop. You wouldn't stop in battle. Besides, the cut wasn't too serious, and some ambrosia would easily heal it. But he had to stop once Madeline dropped her weapon and was running towards him. Connor stood there, using his spear like a cane, while Madeline fussed over the gash she'd given him.<br>"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to, are you alright?" she blurted out, not sounding very comprehensive.  
>"Madeline! I'm fine, it's just a cut," he assured her, interrupting her state of panic.<br>"Right. Well, I guess I made my first kill," she joked, smiling feebly.  
>"Actually, I think I would be the one who made the kill, since you pretty much surrendered," Connor said, slowly shifting his spear up and then swiftly positioning the tip at her throat with his wounded arm, and his good arm hooked behind her neck, holding her in place. Madeline rolled her eyes at her slip-up and smiled a real smile. Connor released her and then added, "But whatever," shrugging his shoulders with a smug grin on his face.<br>"What about your arm," she asked as they walked to the bench nearby.  
>"Ambrosia," he replied, taking out a plastic bag from a duffle under the seat. It was a medical bag.<br>"Oh. Ambrosia, that clears everything right up," she said sarcastically, scrunching her eyebrows together.  
>"It's the food of the gods. We can only eat a little, unless you want to turn into ashes. But when you eat a little, it heals you completely. So I'll be fine. This isn't even that bad a wound, " he explained, while he began wrapping his forearm in bandages and chewed on the little golden square he had put in his mouth.<br>"Whatever you say," said Madeline. She sighed and sat down. Travis walked over to the bench where the two were sitting and joined them.  
>"Impressive. You got a slash in on your first day," Travis teased, looking at his younger brother's bandaged arm.<br>"Accidentally," she defended.  
>"We're gonna have to keep an eye on this one Connor," Travis continued.<br>"I know. She's a monster," Connor mused.  
>The horn blew while they laughed and put away their weapons. It was starting to get dark outside and the sky was painted red and purple with the sunset.<br>"The sunset's gorgeous, isn't it," said an Aphrodite girl, coming up next to the three and batting her eyelashes. The girl next to her added, "You should join us at the beach."  
>They must've assumed Madeline would leave. They weren't being subtle with their dismissive gestures and disapproving looks.<br>"I think I'm just gonna go for a walk," commented Madeline, taking the hint.  
>"C'mon Connor," said the first girl, grabbing his hand and trailing him behind her.<br>"Let's go Travis," said the second girl, doing the same very obvious flirting as her friend.  
>"Yeah, I'm just gonna go," mumbled Madeline as she turned and waved. "Bye!"<br>"Bye, we'll see you at the campfire tonight!" one of the brothers called out as they were lured away.  
>'Have fun,' she added in her head as she heard the girls' giggles die away.<br>She took this opportunity to take a nice look around camp. At least she had a general idea of where everything was.  
>It would be a nice time to come down from the clouds and giant bean stalk and back to earth.<p> 


	13. After

Madeline woke up in strange place. It wasn't her bed and she didn't hear her father singing in the kitchen downstairs while he made breakfast. She didn't know where she was, but then she opened her eyes remembered everything. Camp Half-Blood, Capture the Flag, Drew, everyone disappearing, and passing out.  
>She looked around and saw only a few people in the infirmary. A girl was there, organizing empty cots and various bottles. The sun was shining into the tented building, so she knew she had slept through the night, since she could recall the moon in her last memory.<br>'_I've been in the infirmary all night,_' Madeline thought.  
>"You're awake. Good. You've been out for two days," the girl stated, not looking up from her work. "I'm Nina, by the way."<br>Madeline stared, wide eyed, at Nina.  
>"Two days?" she spurted out.<br>"Yep." She walked over and checked Madeline's forehead with the back of her hand.  
>'<em>Why was I passed out for two days?<em>' Madeline panicked mentally.  
>"You feel okay?" Nina asked.<br>"Yes. Thanks," Madeline answered with a smile, trying not to seem so confused.  
>"You can go then. It's about 6 in the morning," Nina said as she glanced at a clock on one of the wooden columns.<br>Madeline nodded at her as she walked away and sat up in her cot. She was in her clothes from a few days ago, her armor gone. She swung her legs over the side of the cot and slowly stood up. There was an ache all throughout her body, as if she had been exercising the whole time she was unconscious. Her head was thankfully solid, no dizziness.  
>Madeline headed back to the Hermes cabin in the dark morning. She walked through the noisy door and saw that no one was awake.<br>As Madeline showered, she didn't let herself get any more confused. She made her thoughts and questions shut up for the time she got clean.  
>She hurried out of the cabin, in her Camp Half-Blood t-shirt and jean shorts, throwing her dark curls into a high ponytail, and started walking around.<br>Since it was still early, only about a quarter to 7, the camp was still sleepy. Most kids were still in their cabins or not even awake yet.  
>Madeline let herself enjoy the time when the earth seemed still in the early morning.<br>The morning sunlight was so nice and soft in the hazy fog that still hung in the air.  
>Madeline decided to go to the beach again. It was quickly becoming her favorite spot. The forest had been lovely, only now she couldn't really remember what had happened while she was there, and it she felt uneasy when she looked at it.<br>She went down to the edge of the waves and took her shoes and socks off. The sound of the waves breathing and the chilled feel of them on her legs were like meditation. The warm sun shined on her skin, like a light blanket.  
>Madeline breathed deeply in sync with the waves and looked out onto Long Island Sound, starting to think about what happened.<br>"What did happen?" she said aloud to herself. She still didn't understand how those kids disappeared, or why. And what the hell had Drew done to the boys? Why did she pass out? Who even won Capture the Flag? It was so unsettling having so many holes in her memory.  
>Madeline didn't know how long she'd been like that, in daze and deep in thought. But no matter how hard she squinted her eyes and tried to remember, Madeline couldn't make sense of her thoughts. She sat down in the warm sand and moved her toes through the fine grains. It was wonderfully soft, white sand. She took one last look at the sparkly sea and accepted that she was clueless as to what happened at Capture the Flag. She stood up and brushed the sand away from her clothes. As she tied her shoes back on, Madeline heard someone's sandy footsteps coming towards her. She didn't know what to do as Clarisse came up to her.<br>"Look, Clarisse. I don't want any trouble," Madeline said, sounding tired.  
>"Don't worry. I'm not here for fun," teased Clarisse. She seemed tame enough.<br>"Well then, good morning Clarisse," she said, trying to sustain the civility.  
>"Good job Friday. We won," said Clarisse. She held her hand out to Madeline, holding her head up and looking at her, waiting. Madeline stared at her in contemplation, then reached out and grabbed her hand.<br>"Truce?" Madeline offered, seizing the moment of civility.  
>When Clarisse wasn't enraged, she seemed cool. And Madeline was all for forgiveness.<br>They held their hands for a second and then shook.  
>"Truce," Clarisse agreed. "Later, newbie," She turned and began to walk away. "Oh, and sweet job on Drew and her groupies. Maybe you're not half bad," she added with a smirk. Clarisse looked almost impressed. About what, Madeline had no idea.<br>"What?" Madeline asked, utterly lost. But Clarisse was already gone off the beach.  
>Madeline left the beach and headed towards the dinning pavilion, her stomach growling and her head whirring with questions. The camp's flow was back to normal, everyone walking around and talking. Madeline blended in now, and was thankful to have that for a moment.<br>When she entered the dining pavilion and had that brief moment alone in the doorway, all the campers quieted down. Madeline looked at the floor and ignored the looks, nods, smirks, scowls, and one whistle she received as she walked to get her food.  
>She got a large assortment of breakfast food, but then dropped most of it into Hermes's fire pit, experiencing a sudden loss of appetite.<br>'_At least one of us will enjoy it,_' Madeline thought, making one sided conversation with the God. She quickly walked over to the Hermes table and plopped down on the bench. Again, she saw all the campers around her murmur to each other and look in her direction, as if she didn't notice.  
>'<em>I'm gonna go insane<em>,' Madeline complained in her head, huffing and continuing to push her food around on her plate. She didn't feel like eating when dozens of pairs of eyes were burning into her from all directions. Madeline lifted her head up from the palm of her hand and turned around, catching a few of her admirers.  
>"Yes?" she asked, trying not to sound snobby, though she was really starting to get irritated. They all turned around, and went back to eating their breakfasts and mumbling.<br>Madeline was glad when a familiar face took a seat across the table from her.  
>"Hi, Lucy," Madeline smiled, so grateful to have something to occupy her.<br>"Hey, Champ," Lucy mused, beaming at her.  
>"What are you talking about?" laughed Madeline, completely confused and a little irritated. It was annoying, but she wasn't going to lose her patience with Lucy.<br>"Don't be so modest!" Lucy replied, waving her hand.  
>When she saw Madeline's bewildered and totally not-amused face, she dropped her smile and asked, "You seriously don't know?"<br>"Know _what?_" she pleaded, exhausted of asking people about something that seemed like common knowledge at Camp.  
>Before Lucy could speak, Connor and Travis sat down on either side of Madeline with their breakfasts.<br>Madeline breathed and let it go, wiping the exasperated look off her face.  
>"And she lives!" Travis joked.<br>"How you feeling?" Connor asked, taking a juicy bite out of the apple in his hand.  
>"Fine. Thanks," Madeline replied, flashing a small smile.<br>After thinking about it for a moment, she added, "What exactly happened?"  
>"Come again," Travis asked, not knowing what she was referring to.<br>"What happened Friday? At Capture the Flag? I... don't remember much. Just you guys acting all lovey-dovey over Drew and then she had my," Madeline cleared her throat and skipped the part about her necklace, "she had the flag and when I got it back, they all attacked and then they disappeared," continued Madeline, sure that she sounded stupid. "Then I passed out. I woke up in the infirmary this morning."  
>They stayed quiet for a minute before Connor said, "You passed out because your powers exhausted you."<br>"We had to cut ten campers down from the Blue Team out of the trees. They were hanging by their ankles from vines," Travis added, grinning widely at the thought.  
>"What?" Madeline asked in disbelief, chuckling nervously. Then she quickly added, shaking her head, "No. I didn't do that. I didn't even touch them. I swear I didn't do that."<br>"You're not in trouble, don't worry," Connor assured her. "The whole camp loves it!" he added, nudging her with his shoulder in approval.  
>"I still don't understand why you think I did that. I didn't touch them," Madeline pleaded, waiting for an explanation.<br>"Some demigods get gifts, like super powers. Sometimes, a demigod's powers will reveal themselves in an emergency situation. Like a newbie single-handedly taking on an army of trained fighters," Travis answered, grinning at her. "Besides, Chiron says you definitely did it. Your powers have to do with your mother."  
>Madeline turned to Travis with an intent face but Connor interrupted.<br>"And I think this is yours," he added in a sneaky tone before Madeline could react to Travis's comment.  
>He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gold chain with a small charm on it.<br>Madeline grabbed the necklace from his hand, starring at it with so much relief. She completely forgot about Travis's comment.  
>"Thank you so much," she said, turning and giving him a tight hug before putting the necklace around her neck and holding the charm in her hand. Connor blushed deeply from the hug, causing Lucy and Travis to laugh.<br>But Madeline, having not noticed Connor's fluster, said, "I know it's just a necklace," she said sheepishly, getting a little embarrassed. "It just means a lot to me and-"  
>"Oh, no! No. We were just laughing about Drew up in the trees," Lucy covered.<br>"It was a great stunt," Travis complemented her, changing the subject. Lucy rolled her eyes, still chuckling.  
>"Before we got them down, I got the necklace from Drew. I wasn't difficult with her unconscious. I told you they weren't the only thieves," Connor said to Madeline.<br>"Well, thanks. Really, Connor. I tried getting it back, but that didn't work," she said. Madeline thought back to how Drew had somehow controlled the boys, and almost her.  
>"What was that thing that Drew did anyway? You guys were like, hypnotized or something."<br>"That was charmspeaking," Travis answered in a bitter tone. "Children of Aphrodite get that gift sometimes. Drew's the only one at Camp with it right now though, and she's really good at it."  
>"Charmspeaking?" Madeline asked.<br>"It's like really persuasive talking," Connor explained.  
>"That explains why all you guys weren't any help," Madeline snickered, smirking at the two boys.<br>"Sorry about that," said Travis.  
>"No, it's fine. Things turned out alright, didn't they," Madeline replied, throwing a glance towards the Aphrodite table. They all shared a laugh as Lucy leaned over the table and took the charm hanging around Madeline's neck in her hand.<br>"Oh," Lucy gasped in a tone of interest and surprise.  
>"What?" Madeline asked, sounding worried as she looked down at her necklace. "What's wrong?"<br>It looked the same way it always looked.  
>Connor and Travis both looked at the pendant that Lucy was holding up.<br>"Makes sense, doesn't it?" Travis smirked, looking between Lucy and the necklace.  
>"Now it does," Lucy replied.<br>"Not really," Madeline mumbled underneath their excitement.  
>"Madeline," Connor sighed, holding up her pendant for her to see, "this necklace is from your mother. Not your father. She must've left it when you were a baby. You showed powers over trees in the forest. How does that not make sense?"<br>"Um..." Madeline grumbled, really not getting it.  
>Connor smiled a bright smile at her as a hush fell over the entire dining pavilion.<br>He nodded above Madeline's head where a bright, milky colored symbol shined above her head: Sheaves of Wheat.  
>They fanned out at the top and were bunched together by their stems.<br>It was identical to the charm on Madeline's necklace.  
>Madeline looked up and saw the beautiful form of light just before it faded.<br>As it disappeared, a pretty wreath of wheat glimmered into existence in its place, floating down onto Madeline's head. She reached up and touch the fluffy crown of wheat and looked back down at her necklace, slowly making the connection.  
>"Well, seeing as Chiron isn't here," Connor said standing up from the table, dramatically raising his arms and announcing,<br>"Hail Madeline Cosecha! Daughter of Demeter, Lady of the Harvest, Goddess of Nature!"  
>The room laughed and broke out in friendly applause, especially one table on the other side of the room.<br>She beamed and laughed as that energetic table whooped and cheered, all of them standing and raising their arms.  
>"I'm guessing those are my brothers and sisters," Madeline said, smiling a glorious smile towards them.<br>"Yep," said Travis, clamping her shoulder and nodding.  
>"Well," Connor said, smiling back at her, "Go on."<br>Madeline couldn't stop grinning as she walked to her smiling brothers and sisters. Madeline smiled back at Connor, Travis and Lucy before walking to her new table.  
>The Demeter children cheered again as she sat down to join the family. They all greeted her warmly, giving her handshakes and smiles and hugs.<br>'_These are my kind of people_,' Madeline thought as she looked around her new family members. They all seemed genuinely kind, with a good sense of humor and down-to-earth. No pun intended.  
>She took a deep breath and smiled back at all her new siblings, her new family.<p> 


	14. Campfire

Madeline sat on a log around the campfire, smiling with the other Demeter children, singing the campfire sing-alongs led by the Apollo cabin.  
>It was a cheerful bright orange, brighter than any other fire Madeline had seen.<br>She swayed back and forth while singing a cheerful song about a beautiful Nymph and a love-struck Satyr.  
>Her day had been great after she was claimed. Now Madeline knew her mother was Demeter.<br>It was a great feeling, knowing.  
>Madeline already loved all her half brothers and sisters; they were all so kind, and they made for a wonderful family. She had always been an only child back home. After breakfast, Madeline spent most of the day with whatever siblings had the same activities as her. It was a great day full of laughs and smiles.<p>

Connor was happy that Madeline had been claimed. He glanced at her every so often from the other side of the campfire. She was so excited, and he would hate for her to never know who her mother is, always wondering. But now she seemed distant. Now that Madeline had her own cabin, sisters and brothers, and a godly parent, she wasn't going to have a reason to hang around with Connor. Connor didn't have the "welcoming wagon" excuse to hang out with her anymore. He was upset thinking that Madeline was going to pretty much ditch him. He'd only had her for four days, and for two of them she was unconscious. Connor had visited her in the infirmary every few hours while she was there. He was a little embarrassed, but he was worried about her the whole time. He couldn't stop thinking about her. When he went, he tried to be discreet. He didn't want it to be obvious how much he was waiting for her to wake up. Connor had to admit that he really liked Madeline. It seemed a little crazy, but they had become friends instantly, and Madeline was so endearing. Their connection was natural, so it almost didn't matter that they had just met. It seemed like they had known each other since forever.

Madeline laughed and smiled with all her new friends. She couldn't wait to tell Connor and Travis about it when she got back to the Hermes cabin. But then she remembered that she belonged to the Demeter cabin now. She wouldn't be sleeping in the same cabin as Connor anymore. They wouldn't feel obliged to hang around her anymore, now that she was claimed. She was a little sad about that at first, but then she let her optimism shine through and thought, _'I__t's not like I'm never gonna see them again. Don't be so ridiculous! _'  
>She rolled her eyes at her own foolishness and let the smile return to her face. They were more than just tour guides. Connor and Travis were her friends now.<br>She spotted the Stoll brothers on the other side of the campfire and waved to them, smiling. Travis nodded back at her with a grin, but Connor didn't seem to notice. He was staring at the ground, lost in thought. Madeline frowned and was about to go sit with them when Chiron trotted over to the front of the campfire and signaled that he had something to say.  
>As the Apollo kids came to the end of their song, Chiron began to speak.<br>"Good Evening Campers! As many of you already know, we have a new camper," Chiron announced.  
>They all definitely knew there was a new camper; everyone was talking about her show in the forest, so they would have had to be completely oblivious to not know who she was by now.<br>"She was claimed this morning," Chiron continued in his loud voice, all the campfire gatherers giving him their attention at the front of the fire. He gestured for Madeline to join him. She greeting Chiron with a polite smile and stood next to him, appearing even smaller than she was already compared to the large Centaur.  
>Chiron continued with his announcement.<br>"Hail Madeline Cosecha, daughter of Demeter, Lady of the Harvest, Goddess of Nature."  
>The campers all around applauded and smiled at Madeline. She blushed and smiled back.<br>_'Wow, Connor nailed that impression this morning_,' she thought, grinning at the humor of it.  
>As the clapping died down, a voice called out, "Obviously! Who else would claim Dirt Girl?"<br>This received a collective laughter from the crowd.  
>The flames of the campfire flickered as if there were a wind and turned a muddy looking reddish-brown.<br>Not so cheerful anymore.  
>Madeline felt her face grow hot and the smile fade from her face. Her face started to pucker, but she pushed it away; Madeline was not going to let herself cry. She was glad the flames kept her face in the shadows. She was always scolding herself for crying so easily. Madeline searched the dark crowd for the face and found Drew, the leader of the Aphrodite cabin. Of course.<br>This was different from when they attacked her when they were alone in the Aphrodite cabin.  
><em>That<em> hadn't hurt her because she saw the shallowness in it and the bitterness, jealousy, and insecurity behind it. It was the same this time in that sense, but Madeline was getting more emotional in front of all these kids because it hurt more. It hurt more that they all laughed, encouraging Drew, and that Drew was mean enough to bring this whole thing public. Madeline was really glad the fire was casting a shadow over her face, hiding her attempts to contain her tears. It would only stoke Drew's fire if she saw Madeline crying. Chiron stamped his hoof on the ground, causing the campers to quiet their snickering.  
>A kid from the Demeter cabin shouted, "Shut up, Drew!"<br>Madeline appreciated it, but called out, "No. It's okay. Drew. I'm glad to be Demeter's daughter. Thanks for that though." She was so relieved her voice didn't crack as she spoke.  
>Madeline realized she was being ridiculous and let out a small chuckle. She smiled again, finding some smiles in the crowd. With that, she turned around and joined her brothers and sisters again, taking a seat next to Katie. She gave Madeline a nudge of approval, smiling at her and then turning her attention back to Chiron. He continued on with other camp matters as if nothing had happened. Madeline was thankful; she didn't want an adult butting in and making matters worse. He also didn't mention the tree incident. That would've been interesting, though.<p>

* * *

><p>The flames eventually died down and campers began walking to their cabins for lights-out.<br>As Madeline was walking back with Katie, Travis and Connor caught up to them.  
>"Hey," they both said as they approached the girls.<br>"Hey," Madeline replied, sounding as upbeat as usual.  
>"What Drew said was uncalled for," Connor said to her in a low voice, walking next to her as Katie and Travis merged away.<br>"I'm fine. Girls like her don't bother me," Madeline assured Connor. She wasn't lying either. They really didn't. She had only gotten upset because it was supposed to be a happy day for her. But she was fine now.  
>"It doesn't make it okay though," Connor mumbled, his hands in the pockets of his jeans as they walked to their cabins. They were balled in fists. Even if Madeline was okay with it, he wasn't.<br>Madeline turned to him and asked jokingly, trying to lighten the mood, "Could we _not_ be sworn enemies? I mean, I think we could probably overlook the rivalry. It'd kinda suck to have to ditch my first real friend."  
>Connor looked at her for a moment with a confused look on his face before he smirked and asked, "What are you talking about?"<br>She laughed her bell-like laugh that Connor loved and explained, "Well, you told me that the Demeter and Hermes cabins are like sworn enemies."  
>They reached the Demeter cabin and stopped.<br>"Oh. That," he said, remembering what he had said. "I don't think we could never be enemies."  
>Madeline bounced her shoulders and laughed.<br>"That's nice to know. Goodnight Connor," Madeline said. She started walking up the steps to her cabin, but then stopped and turned around.  
>"And thanks," she added, touching his arm and smiling softly at him.<br>Connor got a chill down his spine as she turned around again.  
>"Night Madeline," he called after her as she walked through the Demeter cabin door. He let out a huff and turned to the Hermes cabin, a flustered look on his face.<br>He entered his cabin wearing a small grin.  
>"What are you smiling about," Travis said, catching his pleased face.<br>"Nothing," Connor shrugged as he sat down on one of the couches.  
>"Liar," Travis replied, eyeing his brother with a raised eyebrow.<br>"Can't I just be happy?" Connor asked, spreading his hands in question.  
>"Not when you're spending so much time with a certain new girl that you've you got the hots for," Travis teased, getting up and walking to the boys' side of the cabin. All the guys were getting ready for bed.<br>Connor followed him and protested, "Nothing is going on between me and Madeline."  
>"Yet," Travis persisted, falling onto his bed and laying with his arms behind his head. "Maybe if you didn't act like such a wuss-"<br>"I'm not acting like a wuss. Madeline is just different. I can't flirt with her like the other girls," Connor joked, as if it were totally unbelievable.  
>"I'm not the only one who likes a Demeter girl," Travis persisted.<br>"But you like Katie. Which means she's _Katie_, which sucks for both of you," Connor said in a matter-of-factly tone.  
>Travis threw a nearby pillow at his brother and continued.<br>"Either way, dude. Stop being so lame."  
>Connor got into bed and looked up the ceiling.<br>"Night," he called out, ending the conversation. He heard his brother snicker.  
>He smiled as he admitted to himself that Travis wasn't the only one who liked a Demeter girl.<br>After lights-out was called, Connor fell asleep with a smile on his face, thinking about Madeline.


	15. Dirt Girl

Madeline knelt in front of the Demeter cabin in her jean shorts and Camp Half-Blood t-shirt, tending to its lush garden. There were so many different plants and flowers; she was in heaven.  
>She was weeding around a rose bush when Connor walked up behind her and said, "Morning!"<br>Startled by his greeting, she twitched a little and poked her finger on a thorn. Madeline winced a little but ignored the small stab.  
>"Good morning," she replied to Connor, turning and smiling at him. He hadn't noticed her accident, so she just wiped the drop of blood on one of the leaves. She faced the roses again and rolled her eyes.<br>_'You're such a spaz,'_ she scolded herself.  
>Connor plopped down next to Madeline on the grass and leaned back on his arms.<br>He looked hot, was the least Madeline could say, with his muscular arms and the sunlight on his tan skin. Madeline noticed this and smirked a little, thinking about how much his ego would inflate if he could ever hear her thoughts.  
>"So, what's up?" Connor asked her, tilting his head.<br>"Gardening," Madeline answered, smiling and raising her eyebrows, well aware that it's not a very interesting thing to most people.  
>"Great," he replied sarcastically.<br>"Oh, be quiet. I _like_ gardening," she defended, looking at the rose bush as if it were a sweet puppy.  
>Connor was admiring how pretty she looked when she was taking care of the garden that he wasn't listening to what she was actually saying, seeing her lips move but not hearing what she said.<br>"Come again?" Connor asked her, a little embarrassed.  
>"I said," Madeline repeated, "now that I think about it, Demeter and my father make sense."<br>"How?" Connor asked.  
>"Well, my dad's a botanist."<br>"A plant scientist," he clarified, sounding unimpressed.  
>"Yeah, 'a plant scientists'," Madeline said, making her voice deep in a mockery of his, laughing at his response.<br>"Ahuh," Connor teased.  
>"It's not as lame as it sounds!" she protested, looking at him and playfully scowling.<br>"My dad travels a lot," she continued, "When I was younger, he took me on one of his field research trips, and we went to Peru. He was studying this plant species in the Peruvian Rainforest. It was like a cousin to the Marigold and had a lot of medicinal properties like..."  
>As she talked, she completely forgot about weeding and rested back on her knees, turning to face Connor. The whole time she spoke, she grinned and used her hands, moving them all around in her excitement.<br>Just watching her, Connor could've believed it was the most wonderful thing in the world. As far as Madeline was concerned, it was. She looked so proud.  
>He liked how happy she got when she was talking about a flower, such a simple thing. Connor thought it was adorable. He stared at her while she talked, enjoying the sight. He liked how graceful her hands looked. But Madeline took the glazed look on his face for boredom and stopped herself.<br>"Oh, sorry for geeking out on you," she apologized, looking down sheepishly. She turned back to the garden and shook her head with a laugh.  
>"I got a little carried away," she added, waving her hand over her shoulder.<br>"Oh, no!" Connor rushed to say. "I-"  
>"No, it's okay," she assured him, looking him in the eyes. He looked at her dark eyes for that moment and saw how soft they were.<br>"Anyway," Madeline continued, changing the subject. "I don't think Clarisse is a threat to my life anymore. The other day, after I came out of my comatose," she joked, "we made a truce."  
>Connor looked at Madeline with disbelief. "Seriously?"<br>"I swear it," she said, moving to sit next to him with her legs criss-crossed.  
>"So now you just have Drew," Connor said, flashing a sarcastic smile.<br>"Ha," she replied, matching his sarcasm. "That girl. She just. She -ugh! She's so irritating," Madeline finished, rolling her eyes.  
>They both laughed at the fact.<br>"Speak of the Devil," Connor said, nodding towards the common area in the center of the cabins.  
>Drew stood there, surrounded by her entourage of copy-queens. She wore a pleased look on her face that suggested those girls should be grateful that she was even letting them breathe the same air as her. She didn't seem to think they really deserved her attention, so she didn't really look like she was giving them it. Instead, Drew inspected her manicured nails.<br>"Hey," Madeline said thoughtfully, "what was it that Drew called me at the campfire yesterday?"  
>"You know what she called you," was all Connor said. Madeline sensed his tension and gave him a faint smile. Then her smile grew into a mischievous grin as she moved towards the garden.<br>Connor stared as Madeline gathered dirt in her hands and smeared it all over her shirt. She did this until she looked satisfied with the mess she had made.  
>"Um, what-" Connor started to ask.<br>"You'll see," was the only explanation Madeline gave him.  
>He continued to watch Madeline as she got up. She almost wiped off her clothes, out of force of habit, but then stopped herself and laughed. If he didn't know any better, Connor might think she was insane.<br>Madeline walked over to Drew and her huddle and sweetly cleared her throat to get their attention.  
>"What do you want, Dirt Girl?" Drew sneered at Madeline, looking at her dirt soiled clothes with disapproval. Madeline, as if she hadn't heard Drew's comment, smiled kindly at her and sighed.<br>"I think we got off to a rough start," she suggested, pouting slightly.  
>"She's dirty <em>and<em> dumb," Drew said, laughing and receiving forced laughter from her girls, as if they were trained for it.  
>"You know what's great for friendships?" Madeline asked, ignoring Drew and their laughter.<br>Before Drew could reply, Madeline stepped forward and wrapped her in a tight hug. Drew, along with most of the campers around, gasped in shock. Now Drew had a look of utter disgust on her pretty face, replacing he smug grin. Madeline, still holding Drew hostage in her hug, rocked back and forth a few times before letting go.  
>"Whoops." Madeline said in a tone of mock worry as she stepped back and looked at Drew's shirt. She shrugged, a grin forming on her lips.<br>"Well, I guess that's why you call me Dirt Girl."  
>Everyone watching started laughing; at Drew, the look on her face, and her newly soiled shirt that was covered in dirt. Madeline grinned at Connor as she passed him and entered the Demeter cabin. After waiting for a moment in surprise, he got up and followed her.<br>The cabin seemed empty, but then Madeline emerged from the girls' side in a new, clean orange t-shirt.  
>Connor stood by the door and stared.<br>"That was absolutely _liberating_," she said, looking satisfied with her choice of word.  
>"That was great," said Connor in response, beaming at her.<br>Madeline looked at the floor for a second and smiled, then she looked back up and said, "Whatever Drew does after that, it was worth it."  
>"I'd say so," Connor agreed, nodding his approval.<br>"I think I'm gonna get some breakfast," Madeline said.  
>"After you," Connor told her, holding the door open and gesturing outward.<br>Madeline smirked at him and rolled her eyes in amusement.  
>"C'mon," she said, grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him behind her. He happily followed her as she led him out to the pathway that went to the rest of camp away from the cabins. Connor was a little disappointed when she let go as they walked side by side to breakfast. Campers around them nodded and smiled at them.<br>"I swear I didn't do it for the fame," she joked with Connor.  
>"But you're not rejecting it," he teased.<br>They entered the dining pavilion and went their separate ways to their tables.  
>"Bye," Madeline called over her shoulder.<br>"Bye," Connor replied.  
>He tossed some of his toast into Hermes's brazier as an offering. Then he sat down next to Travis at the Hermes table with a dumb grin.<br>"Did you hear what Madeline did?" he asked his brother, clearing his throat and getting his facial expression under control.  
>"Everyone's heard," Travis said matter-of-factly. "Looks like she's got a brave-streak in her."<br>"She's my kind of girl," Connor joked, not realizing what he was saying. The second the words came out of his mouth, he grimaced and chided himself silently.  
>Travis turned to look at his little brother with a teasing look on his face.<br>"What was that?" he asked Connor.  
>"I mean, it was pretty genius," Connor stated, trying to cover up what he had said.<br>"Yeah, it was," Travis said, a suspicious tone in his voice. Before he could pursue it, their half-sister, Lucy, sat down across from them.  
>"Did you guys hear what happened to Drew?" she asked, admiration in her voice. Connor silently thanked Lucy for saving him.<br>"Uh huh," Connor smirked, looking proud.  
>"I love that girl," Lucy said with a grin, referring to Madeline.<br>Travis laughed at her comment and glanced at Connor before saying, "Who wouldn't?"  
>Connor finished the last of his bacon and chugged down his orange juice.<br>"Well, I gotta go. Later," he said quickly. He smiled at Travis and Lucy and walked away.  
>Travis smirked and shook his head as his brother left the dining pavilion.<br>"Could he be more obvious?" Lucy asked, sighing and sharing a laugh with Travis.


	16. Birka

"They have extremely sharp well, almost everything on their bodies. But your number one priority is to avoid their teeth and claws. But that goes without saying, once you've see one."  
>The director, an older Ares kid, was lecturing the group of campers, which included Madeline and Connor. They stood at the back of the group on the edge of the clearing the group was gathered. They were somewhere in the Camp Half-Blood forest for their Monster Assault Techniques lessons. Today's class was for Drakons.<br>Madeline was laughing into her hand at a joke Connor told her; she was pretty sure she didn't want to upset their child-of-the-war-god director. Connor was leaning against a tree with her next to him. He was glad he could make her laugh. He watched her while she grinned and revealed her dimples, biting her lip to hide her laughter. They continued to half joke/ half pay attention to the monsters lesson for the next 20 minutes, until it was over. Then the group started heading back towards main camp.  
>Madeline was looking around and enjoying the scenery when she saw someone. She knew they weren't in the group, because they weren't wearing an orange Camp Half-Blood, and she hadn't seen anyone leave the group, which she would have since she had been at the back of the group with Connor the whole time. She stopped walking to try to find the person. Madeline knew she hadn't imagined it, and that it wasn't a trick of the colorful sunset. Madeline started walking away from the group, looking behind her to check that no one was looking. She tapped Connor on the arm to let him know. He looked at her quizzically, but stopped.<br>"I saw a girl," Madeline stated, sounding confused.  
>"And?" Connor prompted her.<br>"She wasn't a camper," Madeline added, turning around to look again. She saw the girl poking her head out from behind a small birch tree, staring at her. Madeline hurried forward and looked behind the tree, but there was no one there.  
>"Hello?" she called out, now very confused.<br>The face of a little girl formed on the bark of the tree and replied in a soft voice, "Hello."  
>Madeline jumped backwards and yelped a little, startled by the face. Connor jogged over to her.<br>"Just a dryad," he said. "A tree nymph."  
>"Oh, okay," Madeline said, looking at the young birch where a face had been moments before.<br>"We should probably head back to camp," Connor suggested, starting to walk away. The group was far away now, just small moving figures between the trees.  
>"Hold on," Madeline said, looking at the tree. "She said hello to me."<br>"She talked to you?" Connor asked, turning around and walking back next to Madeline. "They usually don't say anything to campers. They're either shy or just don't like us."  
>Just then, the little girl's face formed in the bark again and said, "I don't like <em>you<em>!"  
>She seemed to direct her comment at Connor. Madeline laughed and gave Connor a sympathetic look.<br>"I don't know what she has against you," Madeline said in a hushed tone, "but she seemed perfectly friendly when she was taking to me."  
>Madeline shrugged at Connor's insulted face.<br>"Um, excuse me? Little Tree Nymph?" she said, feeling stupid talking to an inanimate tree. "I'm sorry if you don't like this boy," she shot Connor a teasing look, "but I hope I can talk to you again."  
>They waited in silence for a minute. Madeline sighed disappointedly and then they started to walk away.<br>"Wait, daughter of Demeter," the young dryad's voice called out. They turned around and a little girl who looked about 8 years old stepped out of the tree. She had long, straight brown hair and bright green eyes, the same color of the few leaves on her tree. Her skin was like porcelain and she wore a cream colored chiton and plain sandals. She was beautiful.  
>"I'm Birka," she said, smiling at Madeline and bowing her head, and then glancing at Connor without much interest.<br>"Hello, Birka. I'm Madeline," she greeted. "It's nice to meet you."  
>"Same to you," Birka said in her soft voice. "I was just curious to meet you. You have a stronger presence in the forest than most demigods, even more than other children of Demeter. My sisters tell me she's a nice lady."<br>"Um, thank you," Madeline said, not sure if having "a strong presence" was a compliment.  
>"Your forest is very beautiful," she added, also not sure what to say to a dryad.<br>"Thank you," Birka said, her cheeks blushing a light green. "You're welcome here anytime, daughter of Demeter. But you don't have to bring him."  
>Birka glanced at Connor with distaste.<br>"Hey," Connor defended himself. Madeline laughed and gave Connor a supportive smile.  
>"Goodbye, Madeline." With that, Birka turned around and skipped back into her tree, morphing into the bark.<br>"Ah huh," Madeline said, looking intrigued. She turned to Connor and tilted her head in thought, scrunching her eyebrows together.  
>"So, we should head back."<br>"Yeah," Connor agreed.  
>"Apparently, I'm not welcome," he added, sticking his tongue out at Birka's birch tree.<br>Madeline laughed and rolled her eyes at him.  
>"C'mon."<br>They walked back to Camp together through the forest.  
>"What did you do to make her not like you," Madeline asked Connor as they stumbled through the leaves and branches on the ground.<br>"Maybe they just don't like attractive guys?" Connor suggested.  
>"Or," Madeline replied, "it was some prank you pulled in the forest?"<br>"I guess the dryads don't like it when you put paint bombs in the forest then," Connor said, scoffing as if it were unreasonable. "It was _one_ time during Capture-the-Flag."  
>"Why <em>wouldn't<em> you enjoy being covered in paint?" Madeline asked in a fake tone of shock.  
>"I know, right!"<br>They emerged from the trees laughing and started walking along the path. The sun was almost gone now and it was dark. All the campers were heading towards the campfire.  
>The campfire was reflecting the cheerful mood with its bright orange flames.<br>'_I hope they stay that way_,' Madeline thought.  
>"Over here!" someone called out. Madeline looked up from the campfire and was pulled out of her thought to see Katie waving at them from the other side of the campfire. Travis was sitting next to her on the ground, his arms around her waist while he kissed her neck. While Connor and Madeline walked towards them, they could see her laugh and wiggle away from his embrace.<br>"I hope we're not interrupting anything," Madeline joked as she and Connor sat down.  
>Travis scowled at her and she smiled a teasing smile back.<br>"So Madeline, what is this I hear about you and Drew?" Katie asked suspiciously, though she obviously knew what happened, according to the smirk on her face.  
>"She had it coming to her," Madeline said, looking at Katie and smirking back.<br>"As you're cabin leader, I'm not supposed to condone that kind of behavior. But as your sister, hell yeah."  
>Katie laughed and tossed an arm around Madeline's shoulder as a song started to sound throughout the campers. They all sung loudly and terribly, having a good time. Travis and Connor told many stupid jokes that had all the campers around them laughing, rolling their eyes, and shaking their heads as they ate s'mores.<br>The campfire eventually died down to small flames around 10 o'clock as everyone headed back to their cabins for the night. Travis and Katie disappeared off to somewhere, leaving Madeline and Connor alone with the few campers that stayed by the fire a little later. There were only a dozen campers left, spread around the crackling fire.  
>Connor and Madeline were laughing and talking, enjoying the end to their day.<br>"Hey," an unfriendly voice called out to them.  
>Madeline and Connor looked up from their conversation and the smiles they wore slid off their faces to be replaced with frowns and scowls. The low flames of the campfire flickered and turned an angry red.<br>"What do you want Drew?" Connor asked bluntly.  
>Madeline turned her head to him and whispered, "This should be fun."<p> 


	17. Moonlight Swim

The pair shared a chuckle and returned their attention to Drew. She was standing a few yards away from the sitting Madeline and Connor. Drew and them looked at each other with blank faces, waiting to see what the other would do.  
>"Yes, Drew?" Madeline asked in a calm voice. She didn't want anything right now; she was tired and had been hoping for a peaceful night.<br>"I need to talk to you," Drew answered, not moving. She must have expected Madeline to come to her.  
>Madeline sighed and stood up from her spot next to Connor. She walked towards Drew, leaving a few feet between them.<br>"Would you come on a walk with me?" Drew asked, not sounding particularly angry or mean. Madeline, hearing the civility in her voice, and was slightly suspicious.  
>She raised an eyebrow and said, "Sure." It was strange, having such a passive conversation with Drew. Connor got up from the ground and hurried over between Drew and Madeline.<br>"What are you doing?" he whispered to Madeline, turning his back to Drew.  
>She just shrugged and said, "It's fine. I'll be right back."<br>"Are you serious?"  
>"I know, I know. Just let me do this, okay?"<br>"But-"  
>Drew interrupted their hushed conversation, clearing her throat and tapping her foot.<br>"Lights-out is in, like, half an hour. Are you done?"  
>"Yeah," Madeline said, walking past Connor and going up next to Drew.<br>"Let's go somewhere else," Drew suggested, "a little more private."  
>Drew started walking away, Madeline cautiously following behind. The Aphrodite girl was being oddly passive, so Madeline was still watching out for anyone in the bushes, ready to attack her or cover her in pig's blood. You never know. But she was still willing to accept Drew's invitation.<br>Connor froze as the two walked away and then followed them once they were far ahead.  
>Drew stopped walking once she was in sight of the Canoe Lake. She turned around to face Madeline and said in a voice much more like her own venomous one, "Look, Sweetie, I admire your boldness. But I can't have some newbie -or anyone for that matter -showing me up. Got it?"<br>Madeline laughed dryly and replied, "I'm not trying to show anyone up. But when you're a -how do I say this?- complete and total _bitch_ to me, you can't think it's okay. I'm all for forgiveness, but I like fair game, too. I wasn't the one who began this. I was just settling the score. Now we're even."  
>Her and Drew stood there in silence for a quick moment before Drew shook her head and said, "Why don't you back down? Before you get hurt. Cause FYI, I'm not here to be 'even.' I'm here to win."<br>"Unlike _some_ people, I can actually take in what I dish out," Madeline started. She noticed movement in the darkness behind Drew's shoulder. She glared at Connor as he leaned up against a tree in the distance and waved at her. Madeline ignored him and returned her attention back to Drew. "I promise you, I won't do anything to you unless you do something to me first. I'm not like that. But I'm not going to let some Beauty Queen bully me. Got it?" she finished, adding a little extra attitude as she quoted Drew's words. Drew flipped her sculpted hair over her shoulder and called out with a grin, "Connor? Come over here, Darling."  
>Madeline could tell she was using her charmspeak again because she felt that strange feeling in her stomach.<br>'_Don't listen!_' she yelled silently, to herself and Connor. To shuffle her focus, she started thinking of anything other than Drew's voice; annoying children's songs, monstrously loud crowds, heavy metal rock music. She watched in aggravation as Connor stood up straight from the tree he was leaning against and started to walk towards her and Drew. "Connor," Madeline said, hoping to snap him out of his trance, "don't listen to her."  
>"Connor," Drew said, overpowering Madeline's voice, "do me a favor and help Madeline go for a little swim in the lake." She smirked coyly at Madeline as the boy walked forward and approached her.<br>"Connor," Madeline said, louder this time as she backed up, "you don't really want to do that."  
>"Don't worry," he said dreamily, "I'm just doing what Drew says."<br>'_That's kinda the issue!_' Madeline groaned mentally.  
>"Stop it, Connor!"<br>"It'll be nice," Drew coaxed in her sickly sweet voice.  
>With that, Connor swept Madeline over his shoulder and carried her toward the lake like a struggling sack of potatoes. She wriggled her legs and tried to get loose, but he had an iron grip on her waist. Madeline beat on his back with panicked fists, but not as hard as she could have. She didn't want to hurt him. She knew it wasn't really him doing it.<br>"Connor, _STOP!_" she said, boiling with anger and panic.  
>"Go ahead. Do it," Drew said casually, sounding very satisfied with herself.<br>Connor continued to walk out onto the lake's dock, stopping at the edge.  
>For a brief second, Madeline thought he had broken through Drew's charm, but that ended abruptly when he threw her into the lake.<br>Connor flung her into the air and she fell into the freezing water, screaming and flailing around. Madeline was shocked by the water and, gasping, inhaled a lung full of the icy water. She surfaced, finally, and coughed violently, expelling what felt like poison from her body, catching her breath. She was staying afloat with shivering arms and legs and could hear Drew's laughter fade away as the daughter of Aphrodite left the lake.  
>Needless to say, Madeline was soaked. Her clothes felt like ice against her body and her long hair floated on the surface of the water around her in black tendrils. Connor was standing at the edge of the dock still, blinking and just now coming out of his Daze. Madeline laughed a teeth-chattering laugh as he saw her. He looked so hilariously confused. It was adorable, despite the fact that he had just thrown her into the lake.<br>"Oh my gods. Madeline, I'm so sorry!"  
>She laughed again and swam over to the ledge. She grinned at him and held her hand out to him. Connor rushed to take her hand, and she yanked back and pulled him into the lake with her. He gasped as he fell down and splashed into the water. Madeline was laughing hysterically at first, but then she stopped when she couldn't find him. She looked around and searched the water with her hands, but it was no use with the night making the lake pitch black.<br>"Connor?" she called out, a new panic growing in her chest. "_Connor!_"  
>It just now occurred to her that he might not be able to swim.<br>Madeline screamed bloody murder, possibly the loudest she'd ever screamed, as something gripped her ankle and yanked her underwater. She pulled her leg away, but the thing was gone. She dashed to the surface of the water and was greeted this time to the sound of Connor's boastful laughter.

"You were so scared!" he gasped between his laughing. Madeline joined in and started laughing, too.  
>"You jerk!" she responded, shoving his chest.<br>"You pulled me into the Lake," he defended.  
>"You threw <em>me<em> into the Lake first," Madeline pointed out. They waded in the water, smiling at each other.  
>"I'm really sorry about that," Connor apologized, his wide grin shrinking a little.<br>"Don't be. It's not your fault," Madeline assured him. "Though you did still throw me," she added turning around and pulling herself onto the dock. She pulled her long hair to one side and squeezed the water out. Connor smiled softly and followed her onto the dock, shaking his hair like a wet dog.  
>They were both dripping wet and cold. Connor thought Madeline looked beautiful, her long curls flowing over her body and water droplets glistening on her face. Madeline thought Connor looked great, too. His wet shirt was stuck to his skin, showing off his body. Apparently, he had abs. His bright blue eyes shined, starling against the dark night.<br>A breeze came by and they both shivered.  
>"We should get back to our cabins," Madeline suggested, turning around and walking down the dock. Connor nodded urgently in agreement.<br>They walked side by side, as usual, in silence. But it wasn't awkward. It was a comfortable silence.  
>Another breeze came by and Madeline shivered again, trying to hide it. But Connor could see how cold she was. Before he could lose his courage, he put his arm around her shoulders. Neither of them stopped walking, but they were both surprised. Pleasantly. Connor released the breath that he had been holding and Madeline smiled sheepishly. She stepped closer to him and put her arm around his waist. They were both in silent bliss.<br>All Madeline could think of was the feeling of his arm around her shoulder and how warm she felt herself getting. She could only imagine how much she was blushing. Connor was scared that she might hear his heart beating, the way it was so violently pumping in his chest. Madeline knew that if she didn't focus, she would surely stumble on the air in front of her and ruin the moment.  
>They reached the Demeter cabin and slowly separated. Madeline sheepishly walked forward and turned to face him. She opened her mouth as if to say something but then closed it and was overwhelmed with an involuntary smile. She tried again and this time said with a chuckle, "Thanks for the swim, Connor."<br>He nodded at her, a lopsided grin on his face. "Anytime. Sweet dreams, Madeline."  
>She smiled at him and said, "Goodnight, Connor."<br>Madeline walked into her cabin and slowly closed the door behind her. Her siblings in the main room of the cabin gave her strange looks as she left wet footprints behind her. She just waved at them and smiled, a little embarrassed. She entered the girls' side of the cabin and most of them were in bed, chattering and waiting for lights out. They all looked at her quizzically and Katie said, "Oh my gods, Madeline! What happened?"  
>Before they could fuss over her, Madeline made it to the safe haven of the bathroom and paused in the doorway.<br>"It's a long story. Just let me get changed first, okay." She closed the door behind her and exploded in celebration. With her face buried in her hands, Madeline let out a silent scream, spinning around. An unbelievable joy consumed her. Looking in the mirror, she calmed herself -at least on the outside -and changed out of her wet clothes.


	18. Battle of the Will

Madeline woke up in the morning and her face was sore from smiling so much. After getting out of her wet clothes last night, she had told her half-sisters about the events that had occurred at the Canoe Lake. She just left out a majority of the details. In an abridged version of what happened, Madeline told them that she had gone for a walk and accidently fell into the water. That was still the truth. They found it quite amusing and scolded her, telling her to be more careful and whatnot, and then lights-out was called shortly after that. Madeline laid in bed for at least the next hour just thinking about Connor, and his abs, and his smile, and his humor, and his laugh, and his pranks, and his adorable curly hair, and his gorgeous blue eyes, and his arm around her.  
><em>'He only did it to be nice, Stupid,<em>' Madeline told herself. _'He didn't mean it like that. He doesn't like you like that.'_  
>She knew he probably went back to the Hermes cabin and gave it barely any thought. But Madeline didn't care at the moment. She was momentarily relinquishing her dignity and allowing herself to become a pathetic, smitten teenage girl. Once she smelled the fresh air and the fragrance of the garden, she calmed down a little bit. Katie was already outside, so Madeline decided to join her. She knelt down in the dirt next to Katie and started tending to a drooping poppy flower.<br>"Morning! " Madeline chimed, feeling very chipper.  
>"Good morning to you too, Sunshine," Katie teased.<br>"I think we should have more vines in the garden," Madeline said, just starting pleasant conversation.  
>"I've been considering that, but then there's the issue of-"Katie was interrupted by two boys being chased by a group of Ares children, most likely the result of an infamous Stoll prank. Madeline looked over her shoulder and enjoyed the funny scene, along with all the other spectators. Everyone watched and laughed as Travis and Connor passed by, the Ares cabin following in pursuit. Katie sighed and rolled her eyes.<br>"Those boys are so ridiculous," she said.  
>"Then why are you dating one of them?" Madeline teased, poking Katie playfully.<br>"It must be that '_Stoll Charm_'," Katie joked. They laughed and enjoyed their gardening until they left for breakfast.  
>Madeline offered a beautiful red apple to Demeter and then sat down with her siblings.<br>She was being an idiot with all her siblings and making them laugh when she and Connor met each other's eyes. She waved discreetly at him. Madeline kept it short and looked down at her food, pretending to be interested. Katie noticed her sudden shyness and smirked, but she didn't say anything.  
><em>'Let those two love birds deal with it themselves,'<em> she thought. It had taken her and Travis long enough.

The night before, Connor had walked into the Hermes cabin, soaking wet, and was greeted with a lot of amused confusion. He too told his siblings that he just fell into the Canoe Lake. He didn't mention Drew or Madeline. He played it cool and joined in on the laughing. No one was in bed yet, seeing as they went to sleep only after lights out were called, rarely before and most often afterwards. He changed into dry clothes and went to bed.  
>Travis had a feeling there was more to the story, but he'd deal with that later. His little brother was so stupid. He was not going to ruin the Stoll name; they were supposed to be smooth and charming, not complete screw-ups.<br>While Connor fell asleep, his arms behind his head and a grin on his face, he thought about Madeline and how cute she looked with her hair all wet, and the small ringlets sticking to her cheeks, and her shirt displaying her nice figure. He was so glad he stopped being such a chick and actually made a move. And she responded.  
>The next morning, Connor and Travis had a great idea for a prank on the Ares cabin. They were one of the more risky groups, but it was worth it. They woke up early and gave the Ares cabin a visit, bringing some of their supplies with them. Over the years, they had accumulated quite a collection from their various pranks. They had a huge stash hidden in the Hermes cabin.<br>Anyway, they headed out to the Ares cabin with some paint and paintbrushes, and snuck away leaving a bright pink door. It was a strange addition, with the angry red walls and menacing hog's head hanging above it.  
>All the Ares kids were enraged once they saw their little gift, and they made the connection to the camp pranksters, the Stoll brothers. They were chased around camp, spears and swords at their tails, until they hid out in the forest. Always a dependable hiding spot. They headed to breakfast after thoroughly enjoying their feat.<br>Connor was eating his bacon when he saw Madeline, goofing around with all her half-sisters and laughing. She looked really pretty today. Her hair was in a high ponytail and her dimples were adorable as she smiled. She was making funny faces and dramatic hand motions when she looked at him. She waved at him casually and then looked down at her food. Connor nodded to her and smiled after she looked away. He followed her example and stopped staring. Travis nudged him in the ribs with his elbow and said, "What is your deal? Are you trying to look be a total pussy? Make a move already, do something."  
>"Shut up, dude. It's not that big of a deal," Connor said.<br>"You need to hike up your skirt," Travis stated, like it was a fact.  
>They finished their food and then left the pavilion. They started wrestling around and rough housing as they headed to their first activity of the day, sword fighting.<br>Connor and Travis stumbled into the arena, putting their brotherly match on hold, and sat down in one of the rising stone rows of seats that circled the field of grass down below. The Hermes cabin had class today with the Demeter and Apollo cabins. After a few minutes, all the campers had gathered down on the field and were ready to begin. Their instructor was Percy, with him being the best sword fighter in camp.  
>"Looks like everyone is here. Today -Travis, be quiet- Today I want you to practice disarming your opponent. Offense only. Okay?" Percy instructed, and then he went on to putting everyone into pairs.<br>Travis was paired with a Demeter boy and Connor was given an Apollo girl, Rebecca. Connor noticed that Madeline was paired with an Apollo guy, Will Solace.  
>Whenever Connor could, in between his battles with Rebecca, he would look over to see Madeline and Will. He was relentlessly hitting on her, complimenting her non-stop and tossing out ridiculous poems.<br>Madeline was flattered and thought he was a nice guy, but she didn't know how to respond to the attention. He was good looking and all, but Madeline wasn't interested. Besides, Madeline had her eye on Connor Stoll.  
>One time, when she disarmed him and had him at point, he had the nerve to say she he like a woman who could handle weapons. Madeline, annoyed but not wanting to be mean, just turned and retrieved his sword. But he was a very persistent boy. When Madeline handed Will his sword by the hilt, he held his hand over hers and swept a stray strand of hair behind her ear with the other, letting his fingers linger on the curve of her jaw. She smiled nervously, and very uncomfortably, and then walked away quickly to get a drink of water.<br>If Connor wasn't so irritated with Will hitting on Madeline, he would have found it quite entertaining.  
>But he was jealous, even if he wouldn't admit it. He was so distracted that he didn't even flirt with his partner, Rebecca.<br>Half way through practice, Connor went up to Percy and said, as casually as he could, "I think you should switch up partners. Will's close to groping poor Madeline."  
>He added a small laugh at the end to try to sound amused. Percy looked over to Madeline and Will and knit his eyebrows together as he watched her duck away from one of his arms that was trying to find its way around her shoulders. She turned away from him and rolled her eyes in annoyance and made an exasperated face, taking a sip from her water bottle.<br>"Yeah," Percy agreed. "Everyone, find a new partner!" he called out. Will approached Percy, a confused look on his face, and asked, "Why?"  
>"Oh," Percy said, "just for a better partnering and all. I think it would be a more productive class if you and Connor paired up."<br>Connor stopped listening and the victorious smirk left his face. He just then realized that he was going to have Will as a sparring partner.  
>"Great," he mumbled under his breath.<br>_'At least he won't be breathing down Madeline's neck now,'_ he added in his head.  
>Madeline concealed a smile of relief as a Hermes girl joined her to take Will's place.<br>_'Finally,'_ she thought to herself. _'Thank you, Percy!'_

They continued on with class, Connor being a little more aggressive than needed, and then left after the hour. He caught up with Madeline, who looked in a hurry to leave.  
>"Hey," he said, holding her arm for a moment. She yanked it away and kept walking without looking and sighed, "Will. I'm flattered and all, but could you just please-"<br>"What?"  
>Madeline turned around and her eyes widened at Connor.<br>"Oh! Sorry, I thought you were someone else."  
>Connor chuckled and said, "Yeah. I could tell you had a nice time with Will."<br>"Oh my goodness," she said with a grimace and small laugh, "he can't take a hint!"  
>Connor was glad to hear her reject him.<br>"At least when he was my opponent, he didn't hit on _me_," he joked.  
>"I hope not," Madeline said teasingly. "That would have been even worse."<br>They both laughed.  
>"So I'll see you later. Free time?" Madeline suggested.<br>"I would, but Travis and I have some stables to clean then. Our punishment for the Mango prank. Remember?"  
>"Oh," Madeline said sympathetically. "I forgot about that. Well, I'll see you at the campfire then. Have fun with the horses!" she teased, grinning and giving him a thumbs up.<br>"Later," he called after her.  
>"Bye," she waved, smiling and then turning around and walking to the next task on her schedule.<br>He smiled after her and was looking forward to the Campfire tonight. Cleaning the Pegasus stables, not so much.


	19. Spanish Guitar

After leaving Archery classes, Connor and Travis Stoll headed towards the Stables, their punishment until the end of the week for giving Camp Half-Blood the wonderful sight of the Aphrodite cabin fighting over a golden mango. What was so wrong with that?  
>They wore rubber gloves and carried shovels. They may be beautiful creatures, but Pegasi could really make a mess. For the next hour, Connor and Travis cleaned the stables, scooping up poop and getting yelled at by rude horses.<br>If Percy had translated their grunts and whinnies, it probably wouldn't have been pleasant.  
>They joked and talked, trying to pass the time.<br>"Did you see Clarisse's face when they lost us?" Travis asked, the smile in his voice evident.  
>"Gods, that was priceless," Connor replied.<br>"I wonder when they'll fix their door."  
>"Who said it needs fixing? I think it's perfect just the way it is."<br>Not soon enough, they heard a horn in the distance and were free from their torture. Now just four more days, since it was only Wednesday.  
>Right after they threw off their gloves, they realized they smelled like the stuff they had been shoveling.<br>"Yeah," Connor said, smelling himself. "I'm gonna go shower. You should too, bro."  
>"Definitely," Travis agreed.<br>They headed back towards their cabin and showered away the stench of the Stables. With there being several showers in the cabin, they could shower at the same time, especially since the usual crowd wasn't there. It was about dinner time by now, and starting to get dark outside.  
>Connor was glad as they approached the Dining Pavilion that Travis hadn't bothered him about Madeline.<br>Just then, he got an idea. Thinking about Madeline made him think about that tool-of-a-guy Will Solace, and then he thought about the fact that he was an Apollo kid, and then he thought about how Apollo was the god of music.  
>"I'll meet you in a little while. I have to do something first," Connor called out as he turned around and started jogged towards the cabins.<br>"Okay," Travis replied suspiciously.  
>Connor reached the cabin and saw that no one was around, since they were all at dinner. He slowly opened the Apollo cabin door and peaked his head in. He didn't sense anyone and let himself in.<br>Connor immediately found what he was looking for as he saw that the cabin was overrun with instruments everywhere; flutes hung on the wall, lyres lied on beds and tables, and guitars rested in the cases and stands. Along with the instruments, there were piles of poems and song lyrics and music sheets towering around the cabin.  
>It looked like a cabin full of musical hoarders. He filed through some of the drawers of the dressers and soon found he came for. He held up the small package and left the cabin.<p>

Connor entered the Dining Pavilion and got a few looks, since everyone else in camp was already eating their dinner. It usually meant trouble when a Stoll's whereabouts were unknown. But he wasn't up to anything bad, at least not this time.  
>Madeline saw him sit down at the Hermes table with a smug grin on his face and thought, <em>'Oh no, what's he up to this time?'<em> But then she noted that Travis had been at dinner the whole time, and they always did pranks together. Maybe, for once, he hadn't been pulling a prank.  
>'<em>Nah<em>,' she thought, shaking her head to herself and chuckling.

"Where were you?" Travis asked as his brother sat down, dinner almost over.  
>"Just doing something," Connor shrugged. He hurried himself with his food, not feeling like breaking into the kitchen for a midnight snack tonight. Travis let it go, sensing that his brother was trying to hide something. Besides, dinner was about to end and once everyone starting scattering, Connor would escape. He'd figure it out later. They continued eating for a few minutes until a horn blew. The buzz of the campers increased as everyone got up and left for the campfire.<br>Connor joined the crowd and made his way to the campfire, reaching it just as everyone was filling in. He walked over to a tree where he had left his surprise and picked it up. He sat down with it at his feet and waited for everyone to settle down. He eventually found Madeline, sitting next to Katie, who was, unfortunately for Connor's eyes, cuddling with Travis.  
>Connor rolled his eyes at them and walked over to them, carrying it behind his back. Madeline was swaying back and forth, a smile on her face and, as she enjoyed the music and hum of laughter and joy that surrounded her.<br>"Hey," she said to Connor as he stood in front of her.  
>"Where'd you disappear to?" she added, amusement in her voice.<br>"Just this," he replied, sounding excited as he held out the object of his earlier work.  
>The warm shadows around them from the campfire made the large object in his hand hard to recognize, but Madeline realized what it was after a moment.<br>"What's that?" Travis asked curiously, breaking apart from Katie and turning his attention to them.  
>"It's, um, my guitar case," Madeline answered, feeling slightly embarrassed.<br>Connor had only found out that night that she played guitar because he had caught her, as in she had meant to keep it a secret. She wasn't ashamed of it, but it was something she liked to keep to herself. The only person who knew was her father, since he had taught her.  
>"I didn't know you played guitar," Katie said excitedly.<br>"I don't. I mean, I do. I just. I don't usually play. For others, I meant to say. I just," Madeline stuttered, feeling like an idiot.  
>With a little laugh, she tried again and said, "Yeah, I play." The whole time she spoke, she just looked at her guitar case. She tilted her and with a confused look she added, "But I snapped one of the strings by accident when-," she stopped herself from spilling what happened that night.<br>"It's broken," she finished.  
>"Was," Connor corrected her, holding the case out to her. She took it with a confused look still on her face and held it for a moment. Then she placed it on the ground and knelt down next to it, clicking open the latches on the sides. She lifted open the lid and saw that it looked just like it did before she came to camp, the same way it looked as it sat in her living room at home where she would play with her father singing in his deep voice while he worked on his papers.<br>_"_Where'd you get the new chords?" Madeline asked, ripping herself from her sweet memories. She had only been at camp for about a week, but with it being so different, it felt much longer since she had been home.  
>"The Apollo cabin," Connor said, as if it were obvious. Madeline rolled her eyes as she guessed he had taken them without permission.<br>"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that so that I can enjoy this," Madeline joked. "Thanks though." She looked up and smiled at Connor.  
>"You should play something for us," Katie said excitedly.<br>"Oh...no," Madeline shook her head. "It would totally clash with all this," she added gesturing to the singing campers around her and the Apollo kids playing their instruments.  
>The current song ended and everyone started clapping. The Apollo kids were taking a break for a few minutes.<br>Katie looked at her hopefully, taking the moment as an opportunity.  
>"How 'bout now?"<br>Madeline thought about it. They were her friends, so why not? Besides, everyone around them was talking and there was enough other noise.  
>She looked at Connor, since he had started this whole thing. He nodded to her encouragingly.<br>Madeline sighed and lifted her guitar out of its case, pulling the strap over head and onto her shoulder.  
>She sat back down next to Katie on the log bench and brushed her hair to one side, clearing her throat.<br>"Here goes."  
>Her fingers picked at the cords, releasing a soft rhythm of classic, Spanish style guitar. She was playing one of her father's favorites. It felt oddly familiar in Camp Half-Blood, such a strange place.<br>She strummed the last few notes and let them fade away before looking up to her friends' faces. She was so nervous.  
>They all starred at her with raised eyebrows and slightly open mouths. Madeline noted that it was terribly quiet.<br>"That was kind of awesome," Travis said, breaking the silence. Someone in the crowd whistled, encouraging the whole camp to break out in applause. Everyone was looking at where she sat in the midst of all the campers. The noise died down and Madeline smiled faintly, still slightly horrified.  
>She laughed nervously and said, "Thanks."<br>The atmosphere returned to normal after the small show and Madeline could breathe again. She almost couldn't believe she had just played, and the whole camp had listened.  
>Madeline made herself relax and told herself to enjoy it.<br>She silently thanked Connor for pushing her to do that.  
>A few more camp songs were sung, led by the Apollo cabin, and then Chiron called curfew. As everyone left to their cabins, Madeline got many compliments on her impromptu show. She smiled politely and thanked them all, waving them goodnight. She stood from her seat, her guitar case in hand and started to walk to the Demeter cabin. Before leaving, she turned to Connor and said, "Thanks again for fixing my guitar."<br>"You were great," he smiled at her.  
>She chuckled and said, "Thanks. I've never played for a crowd. So that was actually pretty terrifying."<br>Connor laughed and smiled at her again. "Well, that was awesome for a terrified girl."  
>She appreciated his encouragement and smiled at him. "Night, Connor."<br>"Goodnight Madeline."  
>They turned away from each other and walked to their cabins.<br>Madeline went to her bed and laid her guitar case on the floor next to her bunk.  
>Her sisters congratulated her and they all said goodnight.<br>It had definitely been a good night.


	20. Strawberry Fields

Madeline started her day relaxing in the Strawberry Fields.  
>Technically, she was "working to pay off the place that all us ungrateful mutts were staying," as Mr. D put it.<br>But she could garden as long as she wanted, so it was a vacation for her.  
>There were other campers harvesting, but they were spread throughout the vast field, so Madeline had gone unnoticed as she escaped to a secluded row of plants, tending to and picking the plump, red fruits. She was enjoying the quiet around her and the sound of the lively camp in the distance. After a while, she took a break and started reading the book she had brought with her. Despite her Dyslexia, Madeline loved reading books.<br>Camp Half-Blood was great, and she enjoyed the training and all the other campers, but she hadn't had one day of truly relaxing all summer; being a demigod was a lot of work. During the school year, she was studying to maintain her straights A's. Her father had brought her to Camp Half-Blood only a few days after the school year ended, so she hadn't had any time to just have an actual summer vacation.  
>Madeline took this opportunity to truly relax and enjoy a book under the sun, like she would if she were at home. She lied down in the soft dirt of the Strawberry field and read her book, Romeo &amp; Juliet. She stole a few Strawberries from her full basket and slowly dozed off, under the shade of the tall plants in the warmth of the sun and the sweet smell that surrounded her.<p>

* * *

><p>Connor was surprised when he didn't see Madeline in front of the Demeter cabin, caring for the plants, laughing and smile as always. He passed by to say good morning, but she wasn't there. He casually asked some of her siblings, but they hadn't seen her either. Connor continued on with his day, going to the Climbing Wall, Archery, and Chariot lessons. He didn't have any activities with the Demeter cabin, so he didn't have a chance to see Madeline. By lunch, he was worried that he didn't see her at the Demeter table. As everyone settled down and a few minutes past, he got up and walked over to the Demeter counselor, Katie.<br>"Where's Madeline?" he asked, taking a seat next to her so as not to be so noticeable.  
>"I'm not sure," she said, knitting her eyebrows together. "She was in the cabin this morning, getting ready, but I haven't seen her since."<br>"Did she say she was going anywhere?" Connor asked anxiously.  
>"No. But I'm sure she's fine," Katie assured him. "She wouldn't do anything dangerous."<br>"Whatever," Connor said as he got up and walked back to the Hermes table. Katie huffed as he left, rolling her eyes at his impatience.  
>Connor sat down next to Travis and ate the rest of his lunch without a word. He finished early and left the Dining Pavilion before anyone else.<br>He wasn't totally freaking out, it was just so unlike Madeline to disappear.  
>'<em>Where could she be?<em>' Connor wondered to himself as he walked aimlessly around camp. He walked through the forest, keeping his sword at his waist, but didn't see anything other than trees.  
>The camp was busier as he left the forest, now that everyone was done with Lunch.<br>'_Not in the forest,_' he mentally checked off. By now, it was already past noon.  
>The only place he hadn't really checked was the Strawberry Fields.<br>Connor walked down the rows, looking side to side but only seeing a few kids that weren't Madeline. He came near the end of the field, the empty hills that surround Camp Half-Blood visible in the distance, when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He wouldn't have noticed her if he wasn't looking, because she was hidden beneath the shadows cast by the tall, thick leaves that she lied next to. He slowly walked over to the person on the ground and confirmed that it was Madeline. For a horrible moment, he thought she was dead.  
>But then she moved her head a little while it rested on her arm and he breathed again. She was just sleeping.<br>'_Why the Hades would she be dead?_' Connor scolded himself, shaking his head. He looked down at her and admired how peaceful she looked.  
>Madeline was resting on her side, her long, curly hair falling down her back against the green leaves. Her head was resting on her arm that was folded underneath her while the other one was out to her side, her palm against the soft dirt.<br>Connor watched and was surprised to see that the dirt around her was swirling, creating patterns and designs all around her sleeping body, like a picture frame. It looked like wind was blowing it, but the air was still. He realized Madeline was doing it, controlling the earth around her. The leaves on the Strawberry vines above her were dancing, too, twirling around and shaking, as if there was music playing that only they could hear. It was a strange sight, but at the same time very beautiful.  
>Connor noticed that there was a book next to a basket full of Strawberries, laying open to one of its pages. He picked it up without disturbing Madeline and turned it to the cover. After focusing for a moment, working past his Dyslexia, he found the fancy, golden letters read "Romeo &amp; Juliet."<br>He set it down and was deciding how to wake her, not wanting it to be weird, when his hand hit the basket. He caught it by its handle, but not before a few of the fruits rolled off the top and lightly bumped into Madeline.  
>She made a soft mumbling sound in the back of her throat and began to stir. Connor briskly walked out of that row of plants and away from her, before she fully woke up and saw him standing there, watching her like a creep. Once he was around the corner and out of sight, Connor stopped and heard her wake up. He heard her gasp and rush to get all her stuff together.<br>"I can't believe I fell asleep!" he heard her say as she walked towards him.  
>Listening to her footsteps, he turned the corner at just the right moment, bumping into her.<br>"Oh!" he feigned surprise, "Hey, I was just coming to find you." He balanced the basket full of Strawberries and held her arms for a moment. Madeline felt a little chill go up her arms where his hands touched her.  
>"Yeah, I came out here this morning and must've dozed off," she said sheepishly with a small smile, embarrassed. Connor laughed at her response and said, "Everyone was wondering where you were."<br>"Oh," she groaned. "I didn't mean to worry anyone."  
>"Nah, it's fine," he assured her, the two of them continuing to make their way back.<br>They reached the flow of campers hustling about, going in a hundred different directions.  
>Madeline placed her basket at entrance of the fields, next to a large group of boxes filled with Strawberries.<br>"What time is it?" Madeline asked Connor, looking around a little worriedly.  
>"Almost one," Connor answered, checking the watch on his wrist. She sighed and shook her head.<br>"Well, I'll see you later then," Madeline told him. She was a few feet away when she turned around and added, "Thanks for looking for me."  
>"No problem," he said, flashing her a smile. Madeline smiled back and waved bye, turning and walking away.<br>She was jumping inside a little that he had been looking for her.  
>Madeline couldn't stop smiling when she thought about it for the next few hours as she went through her Pegasus Training, a game of Volleyball, and Arts &amp; Crafts; she started a marble sculpture of interwoven serpents (Her mother's sacred animal) that turned into a vase with wings that held a bouquet of flowers. It was turning out surprising well.<br>As she left for dinner, she saw Connor farther down the path. She was about to go over to him and say hello when she realized he was talking to Will Solace.  
>Madeline slowed down a few yards away, waiting for Will to leave. But they seemed pretty deep in conversation. Curious, she choose a nearby tree and leaned against it, trying to look discreet. She opened up her book, which she hadn't gotten a chance to drop off at her cabin, and pretended to read.<br>"So, that Madeline chick," Will said, sounding smug. "Pretty hot, huh?"  
>Madeline blushed a little as she eavesdropped, but still rolled her eyes at being referred to as a "chick". How much of a douche could he be?<br>"Yeah," Connor agreed, sounding a little incredulous. Madeline frowned and turned her head, focusing in on the conversation on the other side of the tree.  
>"But she's not worth it," Connor continued. Madeline's knit her eyebrows together at his statement, wondering what he meant. "She's a total bitch."<br>With that, Madeline stormed away, feeling a sudden ache in her chest.  
>'<em>I obviously wasn't supposed to hear that<em>,' she thought bitterly to herself.  
>She gave an offering to her mother as she entered the Dining Pavilion and sat down at the Demeter table with a huff.<br>"What's wrong," one of her sisters asked in a voice of concern.  
>Madeline caught herself and quickly replaced her unhappy face with a faint smile. "Oh," she said, thinking of a lie on the spot. "I'm just upset about something that happened in a book I'm reading" she said, laughing lightly.<br>"Oh," her half-sister said, sounding relieved. "Okay."  
>"Thanks though," Madeline added, nodding to her sister.<br>After a few minutes of pushing around her food and barely eating anything, Connor walked in and Madeline lost what little appetite she had.  
>"I'm going to bed," Madeline mumbled to Katie who was just sitting down. She quickly stood up and walked over to put her plate down on one of the dish counters with a little too much force. It cracked loudly as it hit the counter top, drawing a lot of attention from the room as a hush fell over the previously energetic campers.<br>Madeline didn't turn around for a moment, keeping her face as emotionless as stone. She left the broken plate there, turning around and briskly walking out of the Dining Pavilion, feeling the many eyes that followed her.  
>Connor looked after her quizzically, wondering what was wrong.<br>Madeline closed the door behind her as she walked into the dark Demeter cabin. Without bothering to turn the lights on, she made her way to her bunk and buried her face in her pillow. Since she as alone, she turned over and faced the ceiling, letting out a scream.  
>Madeline wasn't angry. She was hurt. The faint ache in her chest spiked as she thought about how Connor had so casually insulted her so harshly. She turned on her side and hugged her chest, feeling confused more than anything else.<br>'_Where did that even come from?_' Madeline wondered as she went over the event in her head. '_What did I do?_'  
>After a while, when she heard campers outside making their way to the campfire, she got up and breathed deeply.<br>"You're not going to break down," Madeline told herself out loud.  
>She forced a smile on her face and immediately felt better. Go endorphins. She wasn't angry at Connor anymore; she didn't hold grudges and she was over it. She forgave him and decided that she just wouldn't hang out with him anymore. She was going to let go of all that negativity. Madeline still had all her siblings and a great summer ahead of her.<br>With that, she walked out of the Demeter cabin and breathed the fresh air of the night. The campfire was bright and cheerful, helping with Madeline's positive attitude.  
>As an explanation for her leaving dinner, she just said she wasn't feeling well, but she was fine now. Nobody pursued the topic and she enjoyed the rest of the night.<br>Madeline sung along with the rest of the campers, and joked and laughed with all her friends.  
>When curfew was called, Madeline ignored Connor as he called out to her, trying to get to her through the crowd. She didn't want to deal with him tonight, whatever his problem was. She hurried into her cabin and got ready for bed.<br>Tomorrow was a new day.


	21. Lesbian

Madeline was gardening in front of the Big House that morning. She was sure that Connor would stop by her cabin. Before, his good morning was welcomed, even awaited. But now, Madeline felt that if she heard him say "Mornin' Madeline!" she would break something.  
>She had talked to herself, as strange as that may sound, and decided that whatever Connor's deal was, he was forgiven. But she was done with him, nonetheless. There was no need for all the anger that would come out of holding a grudge against him and staying bitter forever about it.<br>Madeline was standing at the top of a tall ladder, watering the flower boxes on the second story of the Big House. The window she was in front of, she was guessing the attic, had old curtains blocking the view of inside. Even though she couldn't see inside, she could hear something inside. It sounded like a hissing snake with feet, galloping around. When she stopped to listen, it would quiet down and freak her out, so Madeline decided to ignore it.  
>Let that Camp Half-Blood story stay untold.<br>Instead, she focused on the bright flowers in front of her and the pleasant sounds outside, like swords clashing and laughing and joyful screams.  
>Madeline was talking to Katie, who was on the large porch down below, resting on the railing.<br>"I love the beach here," Madeline gushed.  
>"It's great, isn't it?" Katie agreed. She stopped for a minute to yell at some campers that were goofing around near one of the Demeter cabin's breakable flower pots<br>"Anyway, you're gonna love Fireworks."  
>"What's Fireworks?" Madeline asked, looking down at Katie. "I mean, I know what <em>fireworks <em>are. But what are _you_ talking about?"  
>Katie laughed and explained, "Fireworks is a party on the Fourth of July. There's music and dancing and dates," She shimmied her shoulders on the last word, "and of course, brilliant fireworks."<br>"That sounds fun," Madeline said happily, adding it to her mental calendar.  
>"Yeah," Katie said with a smile. "This is the first year Travis and I are going together."<br>Madeline pushed away the thoughts of Travis's younger brother and was happy for her half-sister.  
>"Cool," she said, grimacing at how indifferent she sounded. Katie didn't seem to notice though, thankfully.<br>A horn sounded in the distance, telling them breakfast was ready.  
>"C'mon, let's go to breakfast," Katie said to Madeline starting to walk away.<br>"Yep," she agreed, "I'm coming." She put her wrist through the handle on her watering can and began to climb down the steps of the ladder, holding the edges for balance. When she was still about 10 feet off the ground, a rouge volleyball hit the ladder, making it jerk to the side.  
>Madeline froze and gasped, gripped the sides with white knuckles, her heart skipping a beat. She closed her eyes and braced herself for the fall, but someone steadied the ladder.<br>"Whoa," she heard someone say below her as he held the ladder. "You okay?"  
><em>'Great<em>,_' _she thought, recognizing the voice and not looking away from the steps in front of her as she climbed down.  
>Before Connor could talk to her, a few young kids ran over to where they were, around 8 years old.<br>"We're so sorry!" one of the girls exclaimed, looking frightened. They all looked scared, of Madeline it seemed.  
>She realized this and shook her and said in a kind voice, "It's okay. Just be more careful in the future."<br>They all nodded their heads vigorously, rushing off, one of them picking up the volleyball that had hit the ladder.  
>"I can't believe they thought I'd be mad at them," Madeline said in an amused tone. Then she turned and remembered she was talking to Connor.<br>"Oh," she mumbled, looking to her side and away from him. "Thanks. I gotta go."  
>With that, she put the watering can on the porch and walked away. Madeline kept walking until she got to the Dining Pavilion. Connor walked in, a confused look on his face, just as Madeline finished giving Demeter a banana and sat down next to a half-brother of hers.<br>"S'up Madeline," Liam said to her.  
>"Hey Liam," she replied, keeping her head down. She felt a little silly hiding from Connor, but she'd much rather less talk to him.<br>Madeline finished her oatmeal and orange juice quickly and then left. She just thought she was safe as she made it to the gates of the Strawberry Field when Connor jogged up next to her and said, "Hey, wait up."  
>Madeline, not speaking, picked up an empty basket and waved friendly to a few campers who passed by and said hello. She walked a few rows down when Connor held her arm and stopped her. Madeline was annoyed with herself that she still got a small shiver up her arm.<br>"What?" Madeline asked, sharply turning around and looking at him with an emotionless stare.  
>"<em>What?<em>" he repeated incredulously. "You're acting like-"  
>"A bitch?" Madeline suggested, tilting her head to the side and feigning curiosity.<br>A look of realization came to Connor's face. Madeline smirked because she knew he knew he was caught.  
>"I wasn't going to say that."<br>"Oh," she teased darkly, "but you already did. Remember? You were talking to Will, weren't you?"  
>Connor just looked at her, silent.<br>"What do you want, Connor? Why are you keeping up this act?"  
>"I'm not!" he protested, following her as she walked deeper into the rows of Strawberries. "I only said that to make him stay away."<br>Madeline stopped with a huff and turned down an aisle, plopping down on the ground and sitting with her legs crossed. She tossed her basket a few feet away, watching it roll around. Connor sat down next to her with his legs out in front of him.  
>"I thought you were a Son of Hermes?" Madeline asked after a while of silence, turning to look at him with a pout.<br>"I am," he replied, looking at her as if that were the stupidest question ever.  
>"If you had been sneaky, like you're supposed to be as a Son of Hermes, then I wouldn't have been able to overhear you so easily and this wouldn't be a problem."<br>Connor cracked a smile, his chest flooding with relief as he realized she was joking.  
>"I'm supposed to be mad at you," she scolded him, punching him in the arm.<br>"You're not very good at it," Connor replied.  
>"Yeah, well I guess that's something I gotta work on then," Madeline mused, her voice oozing with sarcasm.<br>"There's nothing wrong with being a really nice person, Madeline. Besides, I did it to help," he replied, nudging her with his shoulder pleadingly, like a puppy asking for attention.  
>"Thanks for that, but it's still not okay, what you did."<br>"I'm sorry. Really. I'm sorry."  
>They were silent again for a moment before Madeline turned to him with a look of disgust on her face.<br>"You couldn't come up with anything better than '_She's a total bitch_'? I mean, seriously. That's' not very clever. Maybe something like..."  
>Madeline tried to think of a good insult for herself, but it was actually hard.<br>"See," he pointed out, "it's not that easy."  
>"You're right. I guess I'm just too awesome to properly insult," she shrugged.<br>Madeline stood up and Connor followed. She picked up her still-empty basket and whacked him with it.  
>"What was that for?" he asked, rubbing his arm.<br>"I didn't get anything done because of you," she joked, finally cracking a smile.  
>"What can I say," Connor stated, spreading his hands in front of him. "I love ruining people plans."<br>"I've noticed."  
>They walked back to the gates and Madeline put her half-full basket down with all the others, which was filled with strawberries she had picked on the way back.<br>"So," Connor said carefully, "am I forgiven?"  
>Madeline kept a stern face, not meeting his eyes. She didn't like how badly she wanted to forgive him. "I guess so. You probably shouldn't be, but whatever." She saw him smile out of the corner of her eye.<br>They continued to walk when Madeline got a spark of genius.  
>"I've got it," she said, snapping her fingers in excitement. "I could've been a lesbian!"<br>This loud remark got her a few weird looks from the campers within hearing range.  
>They both stifled their laughter as they headed to their Arts &amp; Crafts session.<p> 


	22. Nail Polish

Connor sat a few feet away from Madeline, his converse-clad feet on the table where she was working. He was keeping himself occupied by making business deals with some younger campers; something about soda that he and his brother had smuggled into Camp and were selling.  
>Madeline rolled her eyes as the younger camper fell for Connor's deal.<br>She was currently sandblasting her marble sculpture of the winged snake-vase that held a bouquet of flowers, almost finished.  
>As class ended, Connor stood up and looked at her sculpture as she was cleaning up her area.<br>"This is really good," he complimented her.  
>"Thanks," she said with a pleased smile. "It's for my father."<br>"He'll love it," he said, being overly dramatic as he swept his arms around it and posed as a show girl. Madeline laughed and went to pick up the heavy marble piece, sinking under its weight a little. Connor moved in to carry it for her, especially since it was almost half her height. She let him take it and told him to put it in one of the storage spaces near the back of the open room. Madeline watched, slightly nervous, as he placed it down, knowing that it was quite heavy. But he made it look effortless.  
>They left the Arts &amp; Crafts pavilion together, laughing and smiling, like none of their troubles had happened.<br>It was around noon as they headed to the lake, their canoeing lessons with the Naiads next.  
>Madeline stood at the edge of the dock, remembering the other night.<br>As she stared smiling into the soft looking water, she saw two girls at the bottom of the lake, weaving baskets from what looked like underwater plants. They seemed like normal teenage girls, wearing jeans and t-shirts and appeared to be having a friendly conversation, except for the fact that they had a blue tinge to their skin and they were sitting at the bottom of a lake. They could obviously breathe underwater, since they were effortlessly talking, little bubbles floating away from their mouths, and laughing as they sat with their legs crossed next to each other, their long brown hair floating around them, small fish darting about. They looked up and wiggled their fingers at Madeline in greeting, smiling as she waved back; she then remembered it was rude to stare and looked away.  
>Most of the other campers had joined her at the dock and were waiting for their instructor. Connor noticed her fascination with the water girls and told her, "They're Naiads. Water nymphs."<br>Madeline nodded at this information.  
>She was the only one surprised as a young woman poked out of the water and rested her arms on the dock as she addressed the class.<br>"Good day, demigods!" she said cheerfully.  
>The class chorused an unintelligible reply to the Naiad who was apparently their instructor. As everyone headed over to the docked canoes, some girl ambushed Connor, even though he was obviously about to join Madeline.<br>She turned her back to Madeline, who was already sitting in the canoe, and blocked Connor's path.  
>"Wanna share a canoe?" she asked flirtatiously.<br>Madeline watched them in amusement and signaled to Connor that she would be fine, making a shooing motion with her hands.  
>"Sure," Connor replied, hesitating as he couldn't come up with her name.<br>"Veronica," she offered eagerly with a big smile.  
>"Okay then, Veronica."<br>She pulled him behind her, holding his wrist. Connor looked over his shoulder, giving Madeline a pleading look. She just waved at him mockingly, knowing that an hour with the air-head Veronica would be fun.  
>Since there was only enough canoe space for a full class, and there was a full class, a friendly Athena girl, Mindy, joined Madeline in her canoe.<br>Their Naiad instructor gave them tips on their partner rowing, swimming around the large lake to where the pairs of campers were spread out.  
>Madeline and Mindy had a nice time, chatting and joking. During the hour, Madeline stole a few glances over to Connor and Veronica, seeing that she seemed excited and he seemed like he couldn't wait for it to end.<br>'_Oh dear_,' Madeline thought in pity.  
>"So, you're friends with Connor?" Mindy asked her, seeming to be analyzing the situation.<br>"Yeah," Madeline replied casually.  
>"Be careful with that one," Mindy warned lightly, not crossing any boundaries. "He's a trouble maker."<br>"Oh, I know," Madeline agreed, rolling her eyes. "But he's alright, I guess."  
>"Ah huh," Mindy said with a smirk. "And a player," she added suggestively.<br>Madeline caught on to what she was saying and laughed as if it were a ridiculous notion.  
>"We're just friends," she said with a small chuckle, though it's not like she hadn't thought about it.<br>Now that she and Connor were mended, faint fantasies of him asking her to the newly discovered Fireworks celebration had popped up in her head against her will.  
>She had to admit to herself that Connor had her slightly smitten, even though she knew that would only make everything more complicated. And she knew he didn't like her like that. And he had a whole camp of more-than-willing girls to choose from.<br>They rowed back to shore as a conch horn sounded. Madeline and Mindy said goodbye.  
>Madeline saw her shake her head as she left.<br>'_Wise-ass daughter of Athena,_' she thought with a smirk, thinking about what Mindy had said.  
>She looked out on the lake, waiting for Connor. After a few minutes, He jogged up next to her and said, "I think a few of my brain cells have just been murdered."<br>Madeline laughed at his remark and commented, "What brain cells?"  
>"Ha ha. But seriously, how can the topic of how you choose your nail polish color be so interesting?"<br>"It's not?" Madeline answered in a skeptical tone.  
>"Not according to Veronica."<br>They both laughed and Connor loved that he could talk with Madeline so naturally. Madeline was thinking the same thing. They passed through the cabins, heading to the Arena for sword fighting.  
>Chiron was standing in the middle near the campfire, which during the day was just a huge mass of bright, glowing embers. He stamped his hooves, getting the attention of all the campers around. Once everyone quieted down to listen, Chiron made his announcement.<br>"Mr. D and I have decided that all demigods over 15 years will be allowed into town this Saturday, as preparation for the Fireworks celebrations on the Fourth of July, which, I may remind you, is only a few weeks away. Of course, the rules being that none wander alone and you must stay armed at all times, some form of protection with you. You are to be back at Camp in time for dinner and will be allowed to leave after 8:00 am. Please, my heroes, be careful. Such a large amount of you together will indefinitely attract some unwanted visitors. I expect nothing less than well-behaved."  
>After Chiron finished his announcement, the campers broke out in an excited buzz. All the underage campers moaned and whined, while the eligible campers cheered. It wasn't often that they were let out of Camp, unless there was a quest or some extreme emergency.<br>"This is fucking great," Connor celebrated. While Madeline was looking forward to Saturday, she wasn't as stoked as all her fellow campers. She had only been here about a week, so she didn't feel constricted to the confined life of a demigod-in-training yet.  
>Katie found her in the crowd and was thrilled. "This is so awesome," she exclaimed.<br>"Yeah, it'll be fun," Madeline agreed, embracing the hum of energy around her.  
>She just had to survive her second game of Capture the Flag tomorrow, and then she could go have a day in town.<p> 


	23. Face Plant

Friday's daylight passed quickly.  
>All the campers had gone through their daily activities as usual. Once sunset came, it was time for Capture the Flag.<br>Madeline was more at ease than last week. Of course, she wasn't calm, but at least now she knew what to expect, somewhat, as she trudged into the mysterious forest with her fellow, armor-clad teammates.  
>She was on the Blue Team this week, her temporary allies being the Hephaestus, Apollo, and Poseidon cabins. The enemy Red Team consisted of the Athena, Ares, Aphrodite, and Hermes cabin.<br>The battle plan was set and Madeline was put on defense for the Blue flag, having earned a reputation for being a good guard after her last game of Capture the Flag.  
>Quite frankly though, Madeline doubted her powers. She used them daily, making flowers dance and bloom beautifully, but she hadn't tried training them for battle yet. She didn't tell her teammates that though.<br>The warriors dispersed into the trees, the battle beginning.  
>Madeline sat in a tree, far above the Blue flag, and had an archer boy from Apollo, Kevin, as a partner.<br>Things were quiet at first, but then they heard approaching enemies heading towards the flag.  
>Though they couldn't be seen from the ground, Madeline and Kevin had a clear view of each other, making silent communication easier.<br>They saw that the approaching Red Teamers were the Stoll brothers flanked by a variety of their teammates.  
>They charged forward and about half were shot down by Kevin in a flash, making Madeline very grateful to have him as a partner. Madeline, catching the survivors of Kevin's shower of his arrows, willed a strong, yet inconspicuous, string of roots to weave itself a few inches above the ground. It stretched across the length of the attacking group and made almost all of them crash into the dirt, except for the Stolls.<br>Madeline cursed them and now saw it as a game between her and her friends; now it was personal.  
>They had each other's back and deflected Kevin's magical arrows, reaching the flag and pulling it from its spot in the ground.<br>As Travis and Connor turned to leave, most of their teammates recollecting themselves, Madeline got a spark of energy. She smiled as she saw the grins on their faces.  
>'<em>They think they've won<em>,' Madeline thought amused to herself. Kevin was still taking down a lot of the enemies, but the two with the flag were getting away.  
>They were well ahead of their teammates, leaving with the Blue flag.<br>Madeline focused on the strongest plants she could feel near them and brought them into the action.  
>The vines agreed with the daughter of Demeter and played along, shooting out from their dormancy and wrapping around Travis and Connor's ankles.<br>Madeline looked back and saw that Kevin was now on the ground, sword fighting the few that were still conscious. She followed his example and leaped from the tree where she was perched, landing safely on the ground. Even though she was very high in the tree, the impact was near nothing as she hit the dirt.  
>The two brothers fell to the ground with a thud, the vines that had tripped them now whacking their armor all over, beating them and keeping them occupied as Madeline stole the Blue flag back, laughing in victory.<br>"Sorry boys," she called mockingly as she sprinted away, Kevin following behind her as they relocated.  
>The Red team didn't attack again after their first failed attempt. The game ended as a horn was blow, signaling the Blue team had acquired the Red Team's flag. Another victory for Madeline and her team.<br>Madeline and Kevin bumped fists in victory, returning to Camp to celebrate with their teammates. They made their way back and joined in on the cheering as Madeline pumped their Blue flag, along with the newly captured Red flag, in victory. The Blue Team used their earned bragging rights the rest of the night.  
>All the armor and weaponry was put away as the campers gathered around the Campfire.<br>Madeline whooped as she saw Katie, since she hadn't had a chance to celebrate with her earlier in the post-game frenzy.  
>"Nice job with the flag!" she congratulated Madeline.<br>"Thanks," Madeline said, still buzzing with pride.  
>The usual cheer was in the air as the camp fire songs were sung.<br>Connor and Travis sat down with Katie and Madeline some time during the campfire.  
>"Nice trick," Travis offered Madeline, holding out his hand to her. She graciously shook it and smiled at them.<br>"The pleasure was mine," she joked.  
>As the campfire died down into bright embers and the younger campers left for their cabins, all the older campers stayed behind to talk about tomorrow. There was a lot of buzz, and a different kind of excitement than from Capture the Flag. It was like a normal-teenager kind of excitement instead of a demigod warrior excitement, and Madeline was happy for all of them. She realized this was all some of them knew, not being able to go back to what was once their home. It would be good for them.<br>Connor walked Madeline back to the Demeter cabin for the night.  
>"I can't wait for tomorrow," Connor beamed, nearly jumping with joy.<br>Madeline chuckled and said, "I can see that."  
>"I'll see you tomorrow then," he said as they approached her cabin.<br>"Yeah. And sorry for making you face plant in the dirt, nothing personal," she joked. "Strictly business."  
>"We'll settle the score next time."<br>"Whatever you say, kid. Goodnight, Connor," she said with a grin.  
>"Goodnight," he said back, watching her as walked up the steps. "Don't let the Harpies bite!"<br>He heard her laugh behind the door and imagined her smiling and shaking her head. He couldn't contain his grin as he made his way to his own cabin, not that he wanted to.


	24. New York, New York

The natural hum of energy throughout Camp Half-Blood was a little stronger this morning as everyone waited to leave on the camp's bus. Argus was leaning against the side of the bus in patience, wearing his chauffeur suit and hat, which Madeline found a little silly. Most other days, the one hundred-eyed security guard wore a t-shirt and jeans, so she wondered if he jumped to wear the suit at every suit-wearing opportunity he got.  
>All the eligible campers were getting ready to leave at 8:00 am sharp, which was in about an hour. The campers that were too young complained that it wasn't fair, but that didn't kill anyone's good mood.<br>Madeline sat in the dining pavilion eating her breakfast as she looked forward to going to New York. She finished her oatmeal and walked around camp, stopping by the Strawberry Field and picking up a large crate of fruit. Since she had already packed her small bag of things, she didn't have anything better to do.  
>The campers could wear their own personal clothes; not only because it was a day to themselves, but also because a group of kids wearing bright orange t-shirts from a non-existent camp for demigods would most definitely draw attention from the mortals. Madeline was wearing a PETA t-shirt and some jean shorts; if it was hot inside the climate-controlled dome that is Camp Half-Blood, it would definitely be hot in the city. While Madeline wore her comfortable and sensible converse, she had no idea how the Aphrodite girls were wearing heels on their feet that were inevitable going to be walking miles through the large variety of stores that New York had to offer. She didn't question it and left to wait on Half-Blood Hill. She smiled and waved to Argus who nodded back.<br>"Is it okay if I put these in front?" Madeline asked, showing the fruit to Argus. He simply nodded in response. Madeline smiled back as she stepped onto the bus for a moment and placed the crate of strawberries next to the driver's seat, in a niche where it wouldn't be disturbed. She skipped away and sat down against Thalia's Pine.  
>The splendid scenery of the valley down below her was beautiful. Madeline took out her camera from her bag and snapped a photo, looking through the scope to better see the life she was capturing. She had just stolen a moment of Chiron playing a game of Pinochle with Mr. D (who was obviously winning by the smug grin on his plump face), when someone sat down next to her.<br>"Stalker much?" Connor joked, giving her an amused, sarcastic smile.  
>"Well," Madeline chuckled, "if I ever wake up one day and think that this was all some crazy dream, which any sane person would, then I'll have these to convince myself that it's real."<br>Connor thought about that and cocked his head to the side, looking over the view below.  
>"If you're documenting the unbelievable," he said as he took the camera from her hands, "then I think this is called for."<br>He held the camera out in front of them and smiled the goofiest smile she'd ever seen on him, catching Madeline mid-laugh as she turned to look at Connor. He handed it back to her and she smiled as she saw the perfect picture, a still frame of wonder in her eyes. Argus was even in the background, rolling his eyes and making himself look like an optical illusion.  
>"What makes this so unbelievable?" Madeline asked, referring to their photo.<br>"The fact that anyone is worthy of my awesomeness," Connor stated, giving her a mocking look that suggested it was common knowledge.  
>"Of course," she said sarcastically.<br>Connor hopped up from the grass and said, "I gotta go help Travis with the Camp Store. Later!"  
>As he bounded down the hill, Madeline shook her head at Connor and what he and his brother were probably doing with the Camp Store, which by now should have armed itself with much stronger locks.<br>Eventually, the other campers made their way to the bus and were all boarded, ready to leave.  
>Connor and Travis jumped on just as they were about to leave. They took an empty seat a few rows behind where Madeline was sitting with Annabeth. Argus beeped the horn, receiving a cheer from the bus full of pumped campers.<br>They pulled away from the side of the road and made their way down the road. Annabeth stood up and said to the bus full of campers, who quieted down from their excited talk, "Make sure your cell phones are off. Only use them if you have to, otherwise use pay phones. Remember, cell phones are like sending up a flare signals for monsters. Don't go anywhere alone and keep your weapon with you." She smiled at the teenagers, who didn't seem at all fazed by what they had just heard. They all resumed their chatter as they headed toward the city. Madeline wasn't too nervous, but she double checked that her phone was off and that her dagger was in its sheath at the bottom of her bag.  
>After she assured herself that she wasn't going to die, Madeline embraced the energy in the bus around her and popped her ear buds into her ears and listened to her music, looking out the window at the trees that blurred past them.<br>After the ride, which was only about an hour long, they all surged out of the door at a grudgingly slow pace, single file line. They finally stepped out into the plaza where Argus had parked. He also exited the bus; why shouldn't he have a day off too?  
>"Back here by 7:30!"Annabeth called out to the dispersing campers. They all scattered, going off in groups and pairs. Madeline, waiting to get off the bus last, grabbed the crate of strawberries and looked around, now alone. She walked down the sidewalk for a block or two and found a small cafe. She stopped at one of the small, umbrella-topped tables and asked a friendly couple where the nearest soup kitchen was. Luckily, they were able to give her directions.<br>Deciding that New York City was a big place and this was her first time, meaning she had a high chance of getting lost, Madeline tried to get a taxi. Despite there being dozens of the yellow cars, her efforts of calling out for one were futile. Just when she was about to walk to the soup kitchen, someone came up next to her and let out a high pitched whistle. A nearby taxi pulled up to the curb stopped in front of Madeline. She turned to find Connor.  
>"Thanks," she said, a little surprised to see him.<br>"Anytime. This is New York, so you have to be assertive."  
>Madeline rolled her eyes and shifted the crate to one side, opening the door.<br>"Care to join me?" she asked happily. Connor looked a little confused but slid into the taxi next to her.  
>After he closed the door and Madeline gave the driver the address, Connor asked, "So, where are we going?"<br>"Soup Kitchen," Madeline replied with a smile.  
>Connor looked skeptical and glanced at the crate of strawberries. "A soup kitchen? You have a free day and that's where you go?"<br>"Yep," Madeline said cheerfully, knowing well that most people don't have "Go to Soup Kitchen" at the top of their lists.  
>"Ever think that you're too nice?" he asked.<br>Madeline just shrugged.  
>"Hey, just wondering: How can Argus leave the bus? You know with his...condition?" She glanced at the taxi driver, but he didn't seem interested in their conversation.<br>Connor caught on and leaned in, whispering in her ear. Madeline got goosebumps from his breath on her skin.  
>"The Mist. It warps the sight of mortals when they see anything supernatural and make it look ordinary." He leaned away from Madeline's ear and finished, "If it didn't, people would probably go insane and their heads would explode or whatever."<br>"Lucky that exists, then."  
>"Yeah, I guess so. Anyway, after this, we're doing something that falls under <em>my<em> category of fun."  
>"Sure thing," Madeline agreed, nodding her head at him. She smiled to herself as she thought about how she was spending the day with Connor Stoll.<br>It really was unbelievable, in the best way.


	25. Ice Skating

Connor helped Madeline carry the crate of Strawberries into the soup kitchen once they arrived. Madeline paid the scowling taxi driver and then watched as he sped away.  
>She turned around to join Connor and saw that he was waiting at the entrance.<br>"What are you waiting for?" she asked.  
>"You," Connor said. Madeline walked over to him and opened the door, gesturing with her free arm to enter.<br>"After you," she teased.  
>"Why, <em>thank you<em>," Connor joked back, imitating a southern belle.  
>Inside the small building, there were crowded tables scattered everywhere and rows of serving units around the edges. Madeline walked towards the far end of the room, nodding to Connor for him to follow.<br>"Are you scared or something?" she mused, looking at him as he scanned the room.  
>"No," he replied, setting down the crate on the counter. "I just have a weird feeling about this place."<br>"Oh, fine. If you don't like this place so much, we'll leave in a minute," she said, talking to him like he was a child.  
>"Ha ha," he said flatly.<br>Madeline smiled and turned around to talk to anyone in charge and came face to face with an old, homeless looking lady. She wore a knit hat, grungy, fingerless gloves, old jeans, and an overcoat. Her face was wrinkled and sunken.  
>"Thank you for the lovely strawberries, Dearies," she said in a shaky voice.<br>"Oh," Madeline said, jumping back a little in surprise. "I'm glad to help."  
>"How nice. You're such a beautiful young lady," the woman said, wearing a soft smile as she looked at Madeline through droopy eyes. "And your friend here is so handsome."<br>"Thank you," Madeline said in a polite tone. "Well, we'll be going now," she added nicely.  
>"I hope to see you again," the old woman called after them as they walked out. "Have a safe day."<br>When they were a few buildings down from the soup kitchen, they stopped at a corner, waiting to cross.  
>"Creepy old ladies are so...creepy," Connor said, shivering in disgust.<br>"Well, duh," Madeline replied. "Sometimes, they're just don't know they're being creepy. I'm sure she was just trying to be friendly."  
>"'<em>Have a safe day<em>,'" Connor quoted, imitating the old woman.  
>"What?" Madeline said incredulously.<br>"Just saying," Connor replied, throwing a final look over his shoulder at the soup kitchen. "What was that supposed to mean?"  
>"It meant have a safe day, weirdo. Stop being so paranoid."<br>They kept walking for a few minutes until they came to a big shopping plaza with an ice skating rink in the middle.  
>"Taadaa!" Connor said, opening his arms to Central Park.<br>"Sweet," Madeline said, looking around. There were people bustling around everywhere and bright stores lining the whole place.  
>Connor and Madeline walked towards the rink, joking and laughing. They passed by a tree and a face in the bark smiled at them.<br>"Just to let you know," she warned, "I've never skated before."  
>"I'll have to teach you then," Connor said thoughtfully.<br>"Good luck with that," Madeline taunted.  
>They paid for their skates and went out onto the ice. Even thought it was summer outside, inside the rink it felt like winter. Madeline was glad she brought a sweater.<br>While Connor fearlessly glided out, Madeline clumsily scooted her way onto the ice, feeling like an idiot as she balanced herself on the wall.  
>Connor raced over to her and grabbed her by the arms, spinning her around.<br>Madeline yelped. "You're such a show-off!"  
>"You know it," Connor beamed.<br>After a few laps and Madeline stumbling every few feet -though her butt and the hard, cold ice only made contact once- she could skate decent enough so that she didn't need to hold onto Connor for support.  
>Connor was a little disappointed that she was a fast learner this one time.<br>He began skating circles around her, literally.  
>Holding her arms out to her sides to maintain her balance, she looked him and rolled her eyes with a grin.<br>"If I wouldn't fall on my face, I'd totally punch you right now," Madeline joked.  
>"Here," Connor said, coming up next to her and holding her around her waist. "Freebie."<br>"That doesn't count," Madeline laughed. She pushed him away and started to fall.  
>In the process of regaining her balance, she spun around and stopped, somewhat gracefully and completely on accident.<br>"Oh," Madeline said in surprise. "That was pretty cool."  
>"If you thought that was cool," Connor said, reaching out and grabbing her hand, "then this will be amazing." They sped around the ice rink, building speed and passing all the other people. It was more Connor pulling both of them along as Madeline kept her skates on the ice and an iron grip on his arm.<br>"Ready?" he asked her, a sneaky look in his eyes.  
>"What?" she responded, no idea as to what he was talking about.<br>"Okay!" Connor said, completely ignoring what Madeline had said.  
>He let go of her as they were going full speed and she spun around like a cyclone. She came to a stop and managed to not fall over. A few people even clapped, so Madeline put on a smile to hide the small heart attack she was recovering from.<br>She had thought she was going to die for a moment.  
>Madeline forced the shaking to leave her legs and made her way over to Connor who was sporting a smug grin with his arms crossed over his chest.<br>"You did great!" he complimented her, giving her a thumbs-up.  
>"And you gave me a heart attack," Madeline replied, mocking his cheerful tone.<br>"Oh, you know you loved it," Connor teased her.  
>For the next hour or so, they continued ice skating, Connor showing off for Madeline and Madeline staying away from the theatrics for her bottom's sake. They were laughing and joking when an announcement came over the speakers that they had to leave for the Zamboni to do its job.<br>Connor and Madeline left the ice rink and walked around for a while, enjoying New York.  
>They passed by the Empire State Building and Connor stopped them.<br>"Look," he said, pointing to the sky above the Empire State Building.  
>Madeline looked up but couldn't see anything. She shielded her eyes from the sun and squinted, in case she was missing something, but still couldn't spot anything other than clouds, birds, and an occasional plane with an advertisement banner trailing behind it.<br>"What am I missing?" Madeline said, giving up and looking Connor instead. "I don't see anything besides the Empire State."  
>"Neither do I," he stated. "But above the Empire State, that's where Olympus is."<br>Madeline knit her eyebrows together in confusion. "There's a mountain above the Empire State Building?" she asked incredulously.  
>They sat down on a bench across the street.<br>"Okay," Connor explained. "There's Mount Olympus in Greece, and that's where Olympus _was_, originally. But since it moves with Western Civilization, now Olympus is above _that_," he said, gesturing to the top of the Empire State Building. "Mortals can't see it, so they have no idea."  
>"Have you been?" Madeline asked excitedly.<br>"Once, during the Winter Solstice a few years ago. It's on the 600th floor."  
>Madeline sighed and looked wistfully to the sky.<br>"Sure. Mount Olympus is on the 600th floor of the Empire State. Why not?" she said with a shrug. "Anything's possible now."

It was now around 1 o'clock. Connor and Madeline continued with their wondering and laughing and joking when they passed by an alley. As they walked by, Madeline heard something. She stopped and walked back to the entrance, straining her ears. After a moment, she heard the sound again, a wining puppy. It seemed to be in pain, calling out for help.  
>"What is it?" Connor asked.<br>"I hear a puppy," Madeline said sadly.  
>Connor listened and heard it, too.<br>Madeline started to walk towards the distress call when Connor stopped her, holding her wrist.  
>"What?" she asked. "I'm going to help it."<br>"Get your dagger out," he told her, reaching for his sword that he kept hidden at his side.  
>"What are you doing?" Madeline asked, looking around to see if anyone noticed the weapon he had just pulled out in a very public place. While she was glad the police weren't swarming, she also questioned how reliable this made them.<br>"Do you really think a puppy is going to be dangerous?"  
>"It might not be a puppy," Connor suggested.<br>Madeline looked at Conner with an unbelieving face.  
>"If that," she said, pausing to listen to the poor puppy's cry for help, "is not a puppy, then you can have my dessert for a week."<br>Connor nodded to her bag. She huffed and pulled out her dagger, holding it at her side as she walked into the alley.  
>"Hey little guy. Where are you?" Madeline called out in a soothing voice. She heard Connor snicker behind her but ignored him.<br>She listened harder and zeroed in on a large dumpsters against one of the three brick walls that enclosed the alley way. Madeline heaved open the heavy top, holding her breath at the stench, and peered into the dark, smelly hole. After a moment, she gasped and jumped back, standing against the opposite wall.  
>A large, ugly man rose from the dumpster, holding a terrified Golden Retriever puppy in one hand.<br>The man was at least 9 feet tall, wearing dirty, patchwork clothes, and had only one eye in the center of his large forehead.  
>"What was that you said about your dessert for a week?" Connor said nervously, moving to stand beside Madeline.<p> 


	26. Bobby the Cyclops

The cyclops stood from the dumpster and held an innocent, defenseless puppy in his meaty hand.  
>"Bobby was going to eat doggy for food. But demigods make much yummier for eat," the Cyclops said in a deep voice. He looked at Connor and Madeline in turn, giving them both hungry looks, licking his lips. Bobby the Cyclops dropped the puppy, which ran away with a scared yelp, and stepped out of the metal dumpster. They stood there for a moment, all three of them frozen, waiting for someone to make the first move.<br>With a grin, the Bobby lunged for Madeline, pinning her as the easier meal as she held out her dagger with shaking hands. As he lifted Madeline, who let out a pained gasp, Connor slashed at his thigh, cutting a large gash across it.  
>"<em>Arrgh!<em>" Bobby bellowed, dropping Madeline as he swatted Connor away with his large, grubby hand.  
>Connor slammed against the far end of the alley, into the bricks, and slumped down onto the ground. In the process, his sword had clattered to the ground. Bobby turned and advanced on Connor, blocking his path to his sword, leaving him weaponless. Connor picked up the lid of a nearby tin trashcan and whacked Bobby across the face as hard as he could. The angry Cyclops staggered backwards, but quickly recovered, unlike Madeline, who was on her knees, clutching herself around her middle where Bobby had grabbed her with a crushing grip.<br>She wondered how the mortals right outside the alley way didn't notice anything. Anyone who did probably thought it was a gang fight and decided not to get involved. These thoughts vanished as she looked up and saw Connor, corned at the end of the alley, pinned against the brick wall by the Cyclops's large, meaty arm. In a surge of adrenaline, Madeline ran forward and picked up Connor's dropped sword.  
>"You will be fun to eat," the Cyclops taunted.<br>Bobby was pressing against Connor's neck, cutting off his breathing, so all Connor could do was throw out a few good punches before being reduced to clawing at the tree trunk against his neck.  
>Just as Bobby raised his fist, most likely to crush Connor's skull in, Madeline thrust the sword through Bobby's stomach. She cringed at the feeling of the weapon she held in her hand going through flesh and the sickening, squelching noise it made. Madeline yanked it out, and before she could stab him again, he turned into dust fell into a pile at their feet. Connor gasped for air and looked at Madeline. She was staring at the ground where the remains of the monster that had just almost killed them sat in a pile of dust.<br>Connor could've hugged her, but instead he noticed a woman at the mouth of the alley way, a phone pressed against her ear and a panicked look on her face. She probably thought she had just witnessed a murder committed by two juvenile delinquents, the truth hidden by the Mist, and was calling the police.  
>"We gotta go," Connor said urgently, grabbing Madeline's hand and her dropped dagger as they ran out of the alley. The mortal woman screamed and jumped out of their way. This got a few people's attention, all turning to look at the two teenagers who ran past them.<br>Connor and Madeline didn't stop running until they were a few blocks away. They dashed into a random shop, hiding behind a row of clothes to catch their breath.  
>Madeline's burst of energy was gone, leaving her drained. After a moment, she said,<br>"Wow."  
>They turned to look at each other and smiles cracked on their faces as they saw each other's expressions.<br>They broke out into laughter and Connor said, "You just experience your first Monster attack."  
>"We're not dead," Madeline said, sounding disbelieving. "And we saved a puppy."<br>"Yeah, because _that's_ what matters," Connor joked. He looked at her again and asked, "You okay?"  
>"I'm fine," she said with a nod. "He just... squeezed me a little bit."<br>A concerned look came to Madeline's face and she knit her eyebrows together as she saw the bruises on his neck. She nodded to them and added, "I think Bobby got you, too."  
>Connor winced slightly when he reached up and touched his neck.<br>"It looks bad," Madeline said in a worried tone.  
>"It'll be fine," he assured her, though it was starting to hurt more.<br>She reached into her bag, which she had almost forgotten she had in all the excitement, and pulled out a small plastic bag of Ambrosia squares.  
>"Here," Madeline said, holding out one of the small golden squares.<br>Connor took it and plopped it into his mouth, the wonderful taste and immediate feeling of health washing over him. Madeline took a deep breath and when a sudden pain jabbed her in her ribs, she decided to eat a square, too.  
>"He sure had a strong grip," she said, holding her side.<br>They left the store, getting a distasteful look from the woman at the check-out counter. Madeline smiled at her and twiddled her fingers.  
>They blended in with the flow of people on the sidewalks and sat down at a table in front of a small coffee shop.<br>"So, I get your dessert for the rest of the week," Connor stated.  
>"What?" Madeline protested, shaking her head. "No."<br>"You made a bet!" Connor pointed out. "I get your dessert for the week."  
>"<em>No<em>," Madeline corrected him. "I said if that wasn't a puppy crying out for help, then you could have my dessert for a week."  
>"It was a Cyclops," Connor replied.<br>"But there was a puppy. So I get to keep my dessert," she said finally.  
>Connor looked defeated as she won the debate.<br>"How about this then," he suggested, leaning across the table, "we get a dessert to share now, and call it even?"  
>Madeline held back the massive grin that fought to explode on her face.<br>"Fine by me," she agreed, trying to sound cool as she held down the butterflies in her stomach as Connor smiled his lopsided grin at her.


	27. Lemons

Madeline spooned the last bite of chocolate cake that she and Connor had shared off the plate and plopped it into her mouth, exaggerating over its taste by closing her eyes and shivering in mock ecstasy. Connor laughed at her and a smile escaped her lips, ruining her act.  
>"I have a game," Connor said, sounding up to no good.<br>"Elaborate," she told him, sounding suspicious.  
>"Take your lemon," Connor said, plucking the lemon wedge from the side of his glass of water. Madeline did the same.<br>"And some salt," he continued, ripping open several packets of salt and pouring them over the lemon.  
>"And then hold it in your mouth as long as you can," he finished, smirking at her. "Whoever lasts longer, wins."<br>"That's vile. But you're on," Madeline agreed, matching his smirk. She prepared her lemon and held it in front of her, scrunching her nose in disgust.  
>"1. 2. 3!" Connor called, putting the sour concoction into his mouth and holding it between his teeth like big, yellow grin. Madeline did the same. They both cringed as the bitterness hit their tongues.<br>They were both laughing at each other's puckering faces.  
>Finally, after much too long of enduring it, Madeline couldn't take it and spit out the lemon wedge, wiping her tongue with a napkin and washing down the taste with water.<br>"Ha!" he yelled, putting his hands into the air in victory as he spit out his lemon. "I win," he said smugly.  
>"That was terrible!" Madeline laughed.<br>"But it makes for a good game," Connor pointed out.  
>They were laughing at their nonsense and enjoying their dessert together, when one of Madeline's half-sisters passed by.<br>"Oh, Hey...Madeline," Nicole greeted her, looking over the Stoll boy.  
>"Hello to you too," Connor joked, though he was used to the Demeter daughters ignoring him, with the exception of one of them.<br>Nicole rolled her eyes and continued, "Wanna join me?"  
>Madeline looked at Connor and hesitantly asked, "Do you mind?"<br>"That's cool," Connor told her, though he was disappointed that they had been interrupted.  
>"Well," Nicole added, looking at Connor, "I'm pretty sure Travis is in that joke shop over there." She pointed a few stores down across the street. At this, Connor got a gleam in his eye.<br>"I'll see you later, Mads," Connor said, standing up from their table and nodding to her as he left. Madeline smiled and felt her face get warm at his nickname for her. She nodded back and watched him for a moment before turning back to her half-sister.  
>She was looking at Madeline skeptically with a little smirk.<br>"What?" Madeline asked defensively, feeling a little embarrassed.  
>Nicole just scoffed and smiled at her. They hung out for the next few hours, talking about this and that and relaxing. They didn't encounter any monsters, so they were in a good mood as they headed back to the bus around 7:00. The sun was already setting and the stars were slightly visible above the brightly lit New York City.<br>Madeline had bought new sneakers, since hers from the beginning of the summer were already worn down from all her demigod training, mostly from her foot races with the nymphs. She was one of the fastest campers, but the nymphs were still faster. The Climbing Wall also did a number on the soles of her shoes with all that burning lava.  
>Along with some new jeans, since those were getting worn down too, Madeline had bought one dress.<br>It was nothing fancy, just a nice, plain white summer dress. Though she was happy with her jeans and t-shirts, she was willing -and maybe even excited -to dress up slightly on occasion, the date in mind being the 4th of July Fireworks celebration. It was the first time in her life she had something, or someone, she wanted to impress.  
>They made it back to the bus and after everyone was accounted for, they headed back to Camp Half-Blood.<br>The campers arrived just in time for the bonfire. It grew brighter as the older campers joined the sing-along. Everyone was in a good mood when Chiron made his announcements before curfew.  
>"There were only several monster attacks and no fatalities today, so I congratulate you demigods."<br>Everyone cheered at this.  
>"There were no injuries, and it was an overall successful trip!" Chiron went on to talk about other camp matters and then sent everyone on their way to their cabins for the night.<br>As Madeline walked to the Demeter cabin, Connor came up next to her.  
>"I had a fun time today," he said to her with a smile.<br>"Yeah. Me too," Madeline grinned. A few steps up, she turned around to look at Connor.  
>He was surprised when she leaned down and put her hand on his shoulders, giving him a light kiss on the cheek.<br>"You won the lemon game," she reminded him, sounding as nonchalant as she could manage.  
>Connor blinked at her and opened his mouth to say something, but no noise came out.<br>Madeline smiled at him and said, "Goodnight, Connor."  
>She turned around and left into the Demeter cabin. What he couldn't see was her skipping around the cabin in excitement and twirling around like a giddy ballerina with a smile on her face.<br>"Night," Connor slurred back, a few seconds too late, barely audible.  
>Connor swallowed and felt his face growing warmer as he left for his cabin, a dazed smirk on his face.<p> 


	28. Possibilities

Madeline blocked Connor's attack, swinging her sword and deflecting his blade. She loved the sound of swords at play.  
>Now that she had been at Camp Half-Blood for over a month, Madeline had gotten a lot better at sword fighting. Her training with Connor was always fun. She was still no archer, but she now at least didn't almost skewer anyone when she let an arrow loose. The Climbing Wall was still dangerous as ever, but now Madeline could make it to the top without her clothes getting singed.<br>The two young demigods had been hanging out every day, laughing and enjoying the summer. Travis and Connor were pulling pranks ever day, too, from the time they put fake spiders in the Athena cabin to the time they replaced all the Hephaestus tools with phony rubber props. Madeline rolled her eyes at all of them, and even though they were funny to see, she knew it was only a matter of time before the Demeter cabin was assaulted.  
>Connor finally disarmed Madeline, her sword skidding across the arena, and ended the fight, holding his sword to her throat.<br>Madeline rolled her eyes in defeat and held her hands up in surrender.  
>"You win," she said.<br>"I know," Connor said smugly, lowering his sword. "But you're getting better."  
>Madeline sighed, a horn in the distance telling them the hour had passed.<br>"I'll see you later," she said, picking up her sword and putting it in a bin as she left the arena. She waved over her should, calling," Bye!"  
>Connor waved back to her. He decided to hit the showers before the campfire tonight.<p>

Madeline headed back to the Demeter cabin. Today had been hot and all that sword fighting had left her sweaty. After she got out of the shower and got dressed, she headed to the campfire, which had just started. She had her damp hair braided to the side, ending in a curled tail. She sat down with some of her siblings and started roasting a marshmallow on a stick when someone came up behind her. Connor jumped over the log Madeline was on, flicking her braid as he sat down.  
>"Hey," she said with a chuckle.<br>"Hey," he said back. He could smell Madeline when she turned her head to talk to one of her siblings. Her scent was something warm, something he couldn't place. He decided on warm cocoa. She smelled nice. He immediately felt a little creepy for thinking so much about how she smelled. When Madeline looked back at him, he felt his face get warm. Luckily, the glow from the flame hid his blush.  
>They joined in on the singing and then headed to their cabins for the night. Before Connor could join Madeline, Travis called him away for some "duties."<br>They said goodbye. Connor glanced back as he made his way to his brother. He saw an Athena boy walk up to Madeline and start talking to her. She looked surprised at whatever he said, but Connor had to turn his attention away as Travis got impatient.

Madeline had been walking to her cabin when a son of Athena approached her. Madeline didn't speak very him much, but she had seen him around camp enough, trained with him a few times, to know his name was Eliot. He was the same age as Madeline, and a really nice guy. Good looking, too. But when Eliot asked Madeline to be his date to the Fireworks celebration, she didn't jump to say yes. She didn't say no, either. Quite frankly, she was paralyzed for an uncertain moment.  
>"Oh," Madeline said, sounding dazed. "That sounds nice. But, um, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Promise. Sorry, I have to go."<br>Eliot looked confused as Madeline turned around and briskly walked to her cabin, shutting the door behind her.

Later that night, Madeline was talking to one of her sisters who she had become close with about what happened.  
>"Eliot asked you out?" Nicole asked excitedly. "You are so lucky! He's so cute. And Sweet. And cute."<br>They were talking in hushed voices in their pajamas on one of the couches in the common room.  
>"I know, I know," Madeline said, sounding crestfallen. "I was just hoping... someone <em>else<em> would ask me to the fireworks."  
>Nicole rolled her eyes and raised an eyebrow at Madeline.<br>"I must say, I do not approve of your interest in the other Stoll boy. I mean seriously! First, Katie lost her marbles for Travis and now you and Connor."  
>Madeline pouted at Nicole.<br>"He's not that bad," Madeline said softly.  
>"You're so smitten," Nicole teased, smiling at her. Her tone turned sincere as she said, "I've seen you and Connor together. You're ridiculously happy. Just be careful with that one, okay? I find it hard to see him being loyal to any one girl."<br>Madeline smiled and hugged Nicole quickly.  
>"Thanks," Madeline said.<br>"Good luck," Nicole said, sighing as she left for bed.  
>Madeline fell asleep, her mind whirring with thoughts about possibilities, of all the different things that could change.<p> 


	29. Hesitation

Madeline went through the day needing to remind herself to stop thinking so much.  
>She was driving herself crazy thinking about Connor and whether or not he even liked her: would Eliot be an easier road? Would she be stupid to make a move? She was trying to look at the situation's every aspect; she was getting nowhere.<br>Connor could tell something was bothering Madeline because she wasn't smiling or laughing nearly as much as she usually did. Her eyebrows were scowled all day and she kept zoning out. She usually made an effort to at least smile at his jokes, whether they were funny or not. It seemed like she wasn't even hearing what he said.  
>"And then, the pink flying elephants began to tango as the badger played the banjo," Connor said in a casual tone, testing her and waiting for her reaction.<br>"Mmhm," Madeline said in a staged tone of interest, a setting she had had on all day.  
>Connor stopped walking and held her shoulders.<br>"What?" she asked in a confused tone.  
>"What's up with you today?" he questioned.<br>She shrugged and replied, "Nothing."  
>He raised his eyebrows at her, unconvinced.<br>"Yeah, and the badger isn't playing that banjo for the elephants."  
>She just looked at him with a puzzled expression.<br>"Never mind," Connor sighed.  
>"I'll see you later, okay?" Madeline said suddenly, walking past him.<br>"Okay then," Connor said, giving up. He wasn't going to try to figure her out. Whatever it was, she would get over it.

Madeline took her free time to go down to the beach. She found a nice spot under the shade of a tree at the edge of the sand where grass was just starting to poke out. She lied down on the soft ground and put her arms behind her head. She was studying the patterns the sunlight was creating as it passed through the leaves above her head when Eliot sat down next to her.  
>"Hey," he said cheerfully to her.<br>Madeline sat up and looked at him nervously. She had never rejected anyone before, mostly because she had never been asked out before either.  
>"Hey," she said softly to him. "Um, about last night... You're a really nice guy, and I don't want you to think badly of me or anything. Or, or think I don't like you, but-"<br>"I'm sorry if that invitation was out of nowhere. I kind of ambushed you," Eliot interrupted her. "I've just been admiring you for a while now."  
>Madeline smiled bashfully, genuinely touched. "That's so sweet of you. I'm just..." she added slowly. "I'm sorry. I don't want to shoot you down. This would be a lot easier if you weren't so nice," she continued, laughing lightheartedly.<br>Eliot smiled kindly at her.  
>"It's alright. I knew it was a long shot. I mean, I figured you were taken."<br>"I'm so glad you're not offended," Madeline said relieved. "Wait, what?"  
>"Well, I figured since you two are always together," Eliot said simply. "It doesn't take being a child of Athena to figure it out."<br>"Me and -oh." Madeline smiled faintly at the thought of her and Connor as a couple. And the thought that other people saw it, too. Maybe it wasn't all in her head.  
>"I'll see you around then, Madeline."<br>"Yeah," Madeline agreed. She waved after him kindly and smiled. People thought her and Connor were a couple.  
>'<em>If <em>only,' Madeline thought glumly to herself. She sighed wistfully and got up from the sand.

Connor was with Travis at archery practice. As they shot arrows at their targets a few yards away, they talked.  
>"I don't know what to do," Connor confessed to his older brother, feeling pathetic.<br>"Why don't you just ask her?" Travis sighed impatiently.  
>"Like I haven't thought about that," Connor replied. "Things are going really great between us. It's awesome the way things are now. "<br>"This is my advice to you, dude: Just fucking ask her," Travis responded. He had been listening to his brother gush about Madeline for weeks. But then he thought about how stupid he had gotten about Katie and how Connor had put up with it back then.  
>"Nothings gonna happen if you don't do anything," he added more sensitively to his younger brother. "The Fireworks are only a few days away. There's your chance right there, silver platter and all."<br>"I know," Connor said worriedly, putting down his bow. "But If I ask her and she says no.. I just don't wanna ruin everything. She's great, Trav. I'm serious."  
>"You gotta risk it to get the biscuit. That's all I have to say."<br>Connor rolled his eyes at his brother's bluntness, but knew he was right.  
>"I'm going to ask her out," Connor decided.<br>"You do that," Travis agreed, widening his eyes patronizingly.  
>Connor walked away as Archery ended and went to find Madeline before he lost his courage.<br>He saw her walking along the main path away from the beach. He started walking towards her, determination in his steps, but then he stopped abruptly. She looked so pretty today, her long curly hair draped over her shoulders and her caramel skin glowing in the sun. A fluttering feeling came to his chest. He couldn't do it. He just couldn't.  
>Connor told himself that the campfire would be a better time. It had to be.<br>He turned around and scolded himself for chickening out. But he was sure going over there now and choking up and making a fool of himself was not a better alternative.

Connor saw Katie by the lake and walked up to her, not sure what he was doing. He normally couldn't stand her and her Katie-ness, but she seemed like the best person to go to now.  
>"Hey, Katie..." Connor said cautiously, looking at the ground with his hands in his jeans pockets.<br>"Oh," Katie said surprised. "Hey, Connor."  
>"So, uh," he continued nervously. He couldn't believe he was doing this, but he couldn't jump into asking Madeline completely blind.<br>"Yeah?" Katie encouraged him.  
>"You know Madeline?"<br>Katie laughed and said with an amused smirk, "My sister, Madeline? Yes, I know her."  
>"I just meant to ask do you think she would say yes to the Fireworks with me?" he continued, embarrassment showing in his red cheeks. He hated that Katie was enjoying this. He felt like an idiot and hated the smug look on her face, like she felt she was superior to him right now.<br>"It's possible," Katie said mockingly.  
>Connor was sure she was toying with him by the tone of her voice.<br>"You think so?" he asked quickly, regretting how pathetic he sounded. He'd gotten too excited. He might as well be groveling at her feet.  
>Katie put away her smirk and said in a more sincere tone, "I honestly, <em>truly<em> believe that Madeline would love to go to Fireworks with you. You two are...good together."  
>For a moment Connor, looked up and smiled gratefully at her.<br>"Maybe you're not so bad, Gardner," Connor said as a way of thanking her.  
>Katie rolled her eyes and huffed.<br>"Goodbye, Stoll," she dismissed him, ending their moment of not loathing each other.  
>As Connor walked away, he felt hopeful. Sure, she was annoying, but Katie Gardner was a decent person.<br>He was starting to believe that Madeline might say yes. Their relationship might not crash and burn.


	30. Mauling Bear

Connor saw Madeline sitting on the other side of the campfire with the rest of the children of Demeter. He was with all his siblings, singing the songs led by the Apollo cabin.  
>Near the end of the campfire, Mr. D appeared out of nowhere in front of the campers.<br>"Listen up," he said in an unenthusiastic tone. "As you all know, the annual fireworks celebration in this weekend, only a few days away. Saturday night, the party will be on the beach. The Hephaestus cabin will be taking care of the fireworks display." At this, the group of buff, Hephaestus kids all cheered. Madeline was looking forward to that; she knew those kids were awesome craftsmen from what she'd seen so far. They were mad geniuses.  
>"Yes, so make any preparations necessary and enjoy. Off to bed now."<br>Excited chatter started as Mr. D walked away.  
>Madeline heard all the girls who had dates gossiping and giggling. Connor heard all the guys who had dates bragging and boasting. He could've easily asked one of the girls who had been flirting with him, practically begging him to ask them, but he didn't want any of them. Madeline could've said yes to Eliot and gotten things over with. But of course, she had to fall for a guy with a bunch of other girls throwing themselves at him. She was annoyed with herself for this.<br>_'Why do have to get all moony-eyed over him?'_ Madeline scolded herself. She'd been stupid to reject Eliot. _'Connor Stoll is the most unlikely, far-fetched guy for you to get with. Besides Leonardo Decaprio for fuck's sake.'_  
>Madeline smiled for the girls who were all happy and excited, not wanting to ruin their peppy mood, but as she walked to her cabin, she frowned to herself.<br>Connor braced himself and walked over to Madeline. She was about to go into the Demeter cabin when he called her.  
>"Madeline!" Connor said quickly, hoping to catch her before she left. He wouldn't be able to knock on the Demeter door and ask for her; one of her many Stoll-hating siblings would surely answer and scowl at him.<br>Madeline turned around and perked up as Connor called her name. "Hey! What's up?"  
>Connor looked at her for a moment and then nodded to the side of the cabin, gesturing for her to follow.<br>Hopefully it would be easier when he didn't feel like everybody was watching. Madeline followed eagerly, almost skipping like a little girl from excitement. She calmed herself down and came up next to Connor on the side of the Demeter cabin, putting a calm expression on her eager face. He turned around to look at her and smiled nervously. She smiled back at him encouragingly, biting her lip a little.  
>"Do you have a date to the fireworks yet?" Connor asked.<br>"Nope," Madeline said cheerfully. '_You answered too quick,_' her inner monologue scolded her.  
>"I was wondering," he continued, "if you would like to go with me."<br>Madeline grinned ear to ear for a moment and then answered, "that would be... great, Connor."  
>Connor smiled, relieved, and stepped forward.<br>"Yeah, that's what I was thinking," he agreed. He leaned down and gave her a slow, gentle kiss on the cheek, returning her's from all those nights before.  
>"Night, Madeline. I'll see you tomorrow," he said happily.<br>Madeline nodded, too stunned to say anything, and watched him walk away to the Hermes cabin until the moment he opened the door and was out of her sight. She jumped up and down for a moment, her fingernails digging into her palms, and then went inside her own cabin.  
>Katie was in the common room alone, smirking at Madeline as she entered.<br>"Oh," Madeline said in surprise, "Katie."  
>"You know, the height difference between you two is ridiculous. When he kisses you, it's like you're getting mauled by a bear."<br>Madeline blushed, realizing that Katie had been spying on her and Connor.  
>"Spying is incredibly rude," Madeline scolded her older half-sister, though she had a smile on her face that made it less intimidating. She couldn't have been unhappy in that moment even if she wanted to.<br>"So I assume things went well," her older sister teased.  
>"Yes," Madeline stated smugly, "as a matter of fact, it did go quite well."<br>With that and a large smile on her face, Madeline went to bed, her heart soaring above the clouds.  
>She was going to Fireworks with Connor Stoll.<p> 


	31. Fireworks

The day was the 4th of July. The Hephaestus cabin was working vigorously, all their campers running around camp and collecting various tools and explosives. They were setting up their display at the end of Fireworks Beach where everyone would be looking tonight, including Madeline and Connor.  
>For the past few days, they had been nervous around each other, but not at all awkward. They were both excited for the Fireworks celebration. They were grinning more than usual too, even when Connor wasn't making one of his cheesy jokes.<br>Connor hadn't stolen another kiss since the night he asked Madeline to be his date, and it was the thing Madeline wanted the most. She had to resist the urge to grab him by his shirt and lay one on him with every fiber of her being.  
>Connor was so glad he finally asked Madeline, and she said yes. He had a date to the Fireworks tonight, and it wasn't just some slutty Aphrodite girl that he picked out of the crowd. Madeline- pretty, smart, cute, funny, great Madeline- was his date. <em>His<em>.  
>After dinner, he saw her and smiled at her. She blushed and smiled back. Connor loved that he could make her blush like that. It was another thing that he found adorable about her.<br>Madeline went back to the Demeter cabin and got ready for tonight. She let her hair down and let her curls fall loose down her back. Along with white Greek sandals, she wore a simple, white dress with a layer of white lace flowers over the skirt.  
>When Connor met her at Thalia's Pine like they had planned, he didn't know what to say. He had always thought she was pretty, but way the breeze blew her curls around and made her dress ripple as the sun set behind her made her look like a beautiful painting. She brushed a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled at him.<br>"Hey," she said warmly. Connor looked handsome in his dark jeans and button-down shirt. He had the sleeves rolled up, showing off his muscular arms, and Madeline had to force herself to focus.  
>"You look..." Connor said back, a goofy grin on his face. "Great," he finished nervously, looking her up and down.<br>'_That wasn't the right word_,' he thought urgently, cursing his nerves.  
>"You look quite good yourself," Madeline said with a chuckle, trying to lighten the tension. She always knew how to make him feel better, he marveled.<br>It was actually Madeline's first date. Back home, she wasn't very popular. But she didn't mind being on her own. In fact, she liked it. She was a quiet person, good at blending into the background, the one that you usual forget was there and don't think about often. It wasn't until Camp Half-Blood that people started greeting her everyday as they passed by. At Camp Half-Blood, she felt welcomed, like people actually knew she was _there_. She felt normal, as bizarre of an outcome as that was from learning of her true lineage.  
>When she was with Connor, Madeline felt like someone was actually thinking about her.<br>She had never been upset about being lonely and it had never bothered her, but she really liked the alternative, too.  
>They sat down under Thalia's Pine together, talking and laughing until it got dark. The time flew by when they were together, and the sun went down in what seemed like no time at all. He stood up and held out his hand for Madeline. She gladly took it, an ineradicable smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. The pair walked to the beach, hand in hand.<br>Most of the campers were already there, dancing to the Apollo cabin's music, sitting on blankets in the sand, and enjoying the festivities. Madeline and Connor found an empty blanket near the trees and sat down across from each other.  
>"Wanna dance?" Connor asked after a few minutes of talking and laughing.<br>Madeline smiled softly and said, "I'd love to."  
>The Apollo kids were playing a slow -yet fun and upbeat -song on their guitars, violins, saxophones, and several other Ancient Greek instruments that Madeline didn't recognize very well. She thought one was something she had learned from her time at Camp Half-Blood was a Lyre, but the thought dissolved as Connor put his hands on her hips. She took a guess and put her arms lightly around his neck, like she had seen in movies. She knew how to Salsa from her father and whenever her loud, energetic, Hispanic family had parties, but she had never really danced with a boy other than her cousins and other relatives.<br>She laughed nervously and shook her head to herself, looking down at the ground.  
>"What?" Connor asked, amused. He smirked and dipped his head to look her in the eyes. "What is it?" he asked again.<br>She looked up at him and said reluctantly, "I probably shouldn't admit how nervous I am right now."  
>Connor grinned his lopsided grin at her and said, "Why would you be nervous?"<br>"Well, why would I say yes to Fireworks with you?" Madeline replied simply.  
>"Are you suggesting you <em>like<em> me?" Connor teased in a mock tone of surprise, dropping his jaw slightly.  
>Madeline looked at him and grinned involuntarily, raising her eyebrows at him.<br>"Don't get cocky," she warned.  
>"What is it about me that makes you nervous?" Connor continued, sounding smug. He gently pulled her closer to him so that his lips moved against the top of her head when he spoke, just loud enough for her to hear.<br>"I'd tell you," Madeline replied, "but I'm afraid your head might burst, seeing as it's already so big _without_ the encouragement."  
>"So you're not denying it?" he teased.<br>"I guess I'm not," she said with a gentle sigh, accepting defeat. She rested her head on his shoulder.  
>"That's good," Connor said, sounding satisfied, "Because I wasn't going to deny liking you either."<br>"Good to know."  
>They separated as the song ended, and smiled at each other, dancing into the next one. They swayed back and forth, his hands playing with the soft fabric on her waist and tickling her, and her fingers brushing against his neck, sending shivers down his spine.<br>A few songs later, the Apollo children took a break from their playing. One of them announced that the fireworks would start in a few minutes.  
>Madeline lifted her head from Connor's shoulder, disappointing both of them; if they could, they both would've stayed in that moment of pure bliss forever. Instead, they walked over to their blanket and sat down.<br>"You know what?" Connor asked Madeline.  
>"What?" she replied.<br>"I never asked you," Connor continued, "when Drew charmspeaks, how do you stay in control?"  
>Madeline tilted her head to the side in thought and scrunched her eyebrows together, wondering what made him think of that.<br>After a moment, she answered, "I think about how _against_ I am of what it stands for, what Drew stands for. I don't know what makes her think she needs to be like that. I don't think I'd ever be able to do that to someone. And I guess that does the trick."  
>Connor stared at her and couldn't help but admire how insightful what Madeline had just said was. It made him like her even more.<br>"I'll have to remember that the next time she tries to make me throw someone in a lake," Connor joked.  
>Just then, a sharp whistle pierced the air. Everyone turned to look at the bright burst of shimmering lights in the dark night sky. It was unlike any mortal fireworks display Madeline had seen. They were brighter and louder and went higher into the sky. It was like watching an old fashioned film, the kind made of pictures and going frame-by-frame,as the fireworks burst into pictures, blinking one after another so fast that they seemed to be moving. In the sky above the awed demigods, a giant Ancient Greek Gladiator battled a many-headed serpent with a sword; Hercules slaying the Hydra. Finally, Hercules held up the final head of the Hydra in victory as the serpent's body burst into golden dust, ending the show. The golden light faded away as the campers all burst out in loud applause.<br>"That was amazing!" Madeline said over the loud campers, joining in on the cheering.  
>"It's amazing every year!" Connor said. "Last year it was the slaying of the Nemean Lion."<br>"That's... awesome," Madeline gushed. "I feel bad for the people who never get to see this."  
>Campers eventually started to leave after the celebration was done.<br>Madeline and Connor stood up to leave, but before they left Fireworks Beach, she stopped and leaned against a tree. Connor stopped and stood in front of her.  
>"I had a really great time tonight," she thanked Connor, looking up at him.<br>"I'm glad," Connor replied with a smile. "I did, too."  
>Madeline looked out at the waters of Long Island Sound, the Moon a silver spotlight over the crashing waves and the camp below. It was so peaceful, and a perfect addition to the perfect night.<br>Madeline turned her head back to Connor and he was staring at her thoughtfully.  
>"You look beautiful tonight," he whispered, stepping closer to her.<br>Madeline blushed and looked down sheepishly, brushing a curl behind her ear. She looked back up at Connor with a smile, biting her lip, uncertain of what to say; she was sure "_thank you_" would sound really lame.  
>Connor really did think she looked beautiful in the moonlight. Her simply dress wasn't as flashy as some of the other girls' had been tonight, but he thought that her simplicity only accentuated her beauty. Madeline was the first girl he had ever called beautiful.<br>Before the moment passed and his courage had the chance to flee like the coward it was, Connor closed the space between them and gently held Madeline's face in his hands, leaning down to kiss her.  
>Madeline was surprised by his sudden approach, but she got over it and reached her hands up to his arms, holding onto him and going onto her tiptoes. They kept the kiss going, moving their lips against each other and enjoying the moment, for as long as they could until they needed air.<br>Madeline went flat on her feet again and fell back against the tree. Connor rested his head on hers and his hands fell down to her waist, holding her hips. Madeline let her hands rest against his chest, feeling his fast heartbeat. She was glad she wasn't the only flustered one. They stayed in wonderful silence for a moment, catching their breath.  
>Madeline felt Connor grin against her hair, making her grin, too.<br>"I had a _really_ great time tonight," Madeline said, this time out of breath and sounding amused.  
>"Ditto," Connor agreed.<br>After another moment of silence, except for their breathing and the waves, they untangled themselves from each other. Madeline stood from against the tree and smiled at Connor, and the fact that they were still holding hands.  
>"Goodnight," she said softly, reaching up and giving him a soft peck on the lips. Connor leaned forward for more, but she had already slipped her hands from his and was walking away, laughing tauntingly over her shoulder.<br>"Goodnight," Connor said to her as she walked away, the smile audible in his voice. Madeline glanced over her shoulder again and waved, a smirk on her face.  
>He loved the way her curls bounced as she walked away, though he would've preferred if she wasn't walking away.<br>As they went to sleep that night, they both thought about their kiss.

'_Her lips were so soft,_' Connor thought as he lied in bed with his hands behind his head. He's accepted the fact that he was going to be smiling for a long time.  
>'<em>His hands were so strong<em>,' Madeline thought wistfully, wishing she could be with him right now. '_And he's such a good kisser_.' He was gentle and strong at the same time, making her long for even more.  
>Connor wished he could hold her again, not wanting to wait until tomorrow to feel her.<br>But alas, they both had to wait until morning to see each other again.  
>While it had been one of the best days of their lives, it was also one of the longest nights waiting for sunrise to bring the next day around again.<p> 


	32. Jack and Jill

So this isn't really a chapter, it's more of a note.  
>I found this song, "Jack and Jill," by Katie Herzig, and I see the story of Connor and Madeline in it.<p>

* * *

><p><strong>"She wore that dress like it was a Saturday."<strong>  
>Madeline wore a dress on the 4th of July, a Saturday.<br>**"Pretty as a summer rose, picked in the morning."**  
>Madeline's dress had pretty, lace flowers all around.<br>**"He held her hand like it was a mystery, one he couldn't quite believe."**  
>Connor couldn't believe he was holding Madeline's hand in his, and it was a mystery to him as to how he got so lucky.<br>**"Just walking together."**  
>Madeline and Connor walked together, danced together, and were together.<br>**"They were high upon a hill."**  
>They sat upon Half-Blood Hill.<br>**"Something to say."**  
>They talked forever, enjoying the sound of each other's voices.<br>**"Daylight to kill."**  
>They waited for the sun to set.<br>**"Time slipped away, the way that it will."**  
>The night ended too soon.<p>

* * *

><p>That's what I have to share. I thought it was worth telling (:<p> 


	33. Luck

Connor was walking down the pathway to the dining pavilion for lunch when he spotted a small figure staggering with a large box full of gardening supplies as she walked through the crowd, campers moving out of the way and giving her quizzical looks.  
>"Sorry! Excuse me. Make Way!" Madeline called out politely as she walked forward.<br>Connor laughed and jogged over to her. "So," he said in an amused tone. "watcha' doin?"  
>Madeline turned her head and smiled at him. "Oh, hey. I'm just moving some stuff to the Big House."<br>He looked at her and the big box that blocked her view as she walked forward.  
>"Let me help," Connor offered. Before Madeline could reply, he lifted the box from her arms.<br>"I can handle it," she protested, though she didn't attempt to get the heavy box back.  
>"I'm just helping my girl not get crushed underneath gardening supplies," he teased. "That would make for a pretty lame obituary."<br>"Are you saying I'm not tough enough?" Madeline joked, placing a hand over her heart in feigned shock.  
>"Never," Connor said, shaking his head and holding back a smile.<br>"Alright, macho man," Madeline said, poking him in the arm. "Show me what tough is, then. If you know so much."  
>Connor chuckled and kept walking with the box.<br>"Nah, I'm good," he said contently.  
>"C'mon!" Madeline taunted."Are you scared? Bawk! Bawk-bawk-bawk!" She made chicken noised as she grinned devilishly at him, flapping her pretend chicken wings.<br>"I'm not going to fight you, Mads," Connor said raising an eyebrow at her chicken impersonation.  
>"Scaredy cat," she taunted.<br>"I thought I was a chicken?" he mused, tilting his head in thought.  
>"Oh, shut up," Madeline laughed, rolling her eyes. She bumped him with her shoulder, provoking him.<br>Without warning, Connor put down the box on the edge of the pathway and wrapped his arms around Madeline's waist. He spun her around and walked them over to a tree.  
>She laughed in delight and said, "Put me down!"<br>"I thought you could take me?" Connor teased her, giving her a peck on the neck as he placed her down.  
>Madeline shoved his chest playfully.<br>"Oh, whatever," she said, smiling sheepishly and recoiling from the ticklish kiss.  
>She looked up at him and made his heart flutter a little as he stared down into her warm, dark eyes. Madeline blushed a little as she found herself distracted from looking into his dazzling blue eyes.<br>Madeline went onto her tip-toes and kissed his soft lips.  
>She loved that she could do that anytime she wanted, now that they were together. No more imagining what it would be like. And the feeling was always better than the thought.<br>It had been a few weeks since they first kissed on the Fourth of July at the Fireworks, and they had both been enjoying every moment since then.  
>Connor held one hand on her face against her soft cheek and the other on the small of her back as she wrapped her arms around his neck.<br>They pulled away after who knows how long, wistfully parting their lips from each other's and untangling themselves, having completely forgotten what they were doing before.  
>With a smirk, Madeline said, "You taste like strawberries."<br>Connor laughed at that and said, "Thank you," in a sultry voice, craning down to kiss her again.  
>He loved the way she smelled like warm cocoa, and Madeline let her hands get lost in his soft curls. Her own long, black, curly hair was tickling Connor's arms as his hands wandered up and down her sides, giving them both goosebumps.<br>Nobody payed the coupled much attention as they engaged in their session of osculation underneath the shade of the tree. Again, they pulled apart and breathed deeply, letting out satisfied sighs.  
>"I gotta go," Madeline said, letting her hand linger in his as she stepped back. She picked up the box that she had almost forgotten about and started down the path again.<br>"See you later," Connor called after her, a dazed grin on his face. Madeline looked over her shoulder and smiled a goodbye to him.  
>He watched her leave, her curls bouncing as she walked away on her soft, tan legs. She was just wearing her orange Camp Half-Blood and jean shorts, but Connor thought she looked amazing. He just wanted to pick her up and hold her tight, never letting her go. He grinned to himself and left for lunch, glad he had gotten distracted.<p>

* * *

><p>Later that day, Connor found Madeline at the beach during their free hour. She was in the shade of the trees at the edge of the sand, laughing and joking with some Athena girls. He hoped he wasn't blushing as he saw her in a bathing suit for the first time. She was wearing a blue bikini top and jean shorts over her bikini bottoms, and she looked like a dream.<br>He sat down in the sand next to her as the other girls left.  
>"Hey, Gorgeous," Connor said as he wrapped his arm around her soft waist, looking over her discreetly. Madeline grinned and looked down.<br>"What?" Connor said curiously.  
>"Nothing," she assured him, looking up at him with a smile. "I'm just glad you're here."<br>"I'm glad I'm here, too," he agreed, giving her a kiss on her temple.  
>Madeline leaned her head against his bare shoulder. She had actually been grinning about the fact that he was looking quite male-model like as he had jogged over to her through the sand, shirtless and in his swim trunks.<br>After a moment of relaxing with his head on hers as she rested against his shoulder, Connor said, "I have to get back to the game."  
>"That's fine," Madeline said as he stood up. "I can just fan myself as I watch you work," she said in a southern-belle accent, fanning herself with her hand.<br>"Enjoy the show," Connor said, bowing to her sarcastically as he jogged away.  
>Madeline smiled after him and basked in the glory of her happiness.<br>Her first boyfriend, and she had the luck of getting Connor Stoll.


	34. The Bronze Dragon

After archery, Connor headed to the Demeter cabin to see if Madeline was there. He didn't hear anyone as he opened the door and walked into the already lit cabin.  
>He was about to call out to see if anyone was there when he noticed two bright blue socks sticking up from one of the couches with its back to the door.<br>He curiously walked around to the other side and found Madeline lying on the floor with her feet up on the couch, her eyes closed, and headphones in her ears. Apparently, she hadn't heard him come in.  
>With a smirk, he crouched down next to her and listened to her hum to whatever song she was enjoying.<br>Without making a noise, Connor danced the tips of his fingers across Madeline's neck.  
>Madeline gasped and her eyes flashed open as she shot up into the air like a bullet. Connor sat back and let out a loud, victorious laugh when he saw the look of momentary horror on her face. Madeline realized it was him and scowled. She sat down against the couch next to Connor and punched him on the arm.<br>"You nearly gave me a heart attack," she scolded him, though a smile escaped her lips.  
>Connor laughed again and asked, "What were you doing on the floor, you weirdo?"<br>Madeline picked up the iPod she had dropped in her panic and placed it on the couch.  
>"I was listening to my music."<br>"You looked very..." Connor stopped to think about it. "Mellow."  
>"I was meditating. Kinda."<br>"I doubt that was comfortable," he said skeptically.  
>Madeline turned around and assumed her previous position, resting her feet on the couch and her hands on her stomach.<br>She tilted her head at Connor and patted the ground next to her with a smile.  
>"Try it," she invited him.<br>Connor raised an eyebrow at her but joined her.  
>They were lying on the floor next to each other, staring at the ceiling of the cabin. It was made of some sort of vine-like plant that Connor didn't recognize.<br>"This is quite relaxing," Connor mused, turning his head towards Madeline with a sarcastic grin.  
>Madeline laughed and turned to look at him, too.<br>His eyes were like blue crystals, so captivating; they seemed to go on forever.  
>Her eyes were so dark, but so warm and kind at the same time. Instead of black stone, they reminded him more of melted dark chocolate.<br>They both leaned in slowly and kissed.  
>Even though their lips had met a dozen times before, it was like the first time they were kissing; both of them undoubtedly blushing and their heartbeats rising.<br>They readjusted their bodies without breaking their kiss so that they were flat on the floor, Madeline on top of Connor. He placed his hands on her back and she rested hers on the floor next to his head.  
>Her curls fell down and tickled his neck, making it all more pleasurable. Madeline loved the taste of Connor's lips and smiled into their kiss, making Connor smile, too.<br>Suddenly, Madeline stopped kissing him and pulled her lips away. Thinking she was teasing him, Connor smiled and moved his face towards her's, but she pulled away even further. Her hands came up to her neck, a look of panic on her face and a shallow gasp coming from her open mouth. Madeline stood up, stumbling over her own feet, and braced herself against the arm of the couch, trying desperately to inhale, a terrible wheezing sound escaping her, and failed. She kept coughing and gasping, as if she couldn't breathe.  
>"Madeline!" Connor yelled in fear as he jumped up and and went over to her. With his hands holding her shoulders protectively, Madeline managed to take a few shaky breaths and slowly turned around.<br>"They can't breathe," she said quietly, Connor barely able to hear her words. His heart was racing.  
>"What?" he asked quizzically.<br>"They can't _breathe!_"was all Madeline said before running out of the cabin, grabbing her shoes on her way out.  
>She left the door wide open as she bolted away, leaving a very shocked Connor to face all of her half-siblings as they stood in front of the Cabin #4 with swords at their sides and looks of confusion and disdain on their faces. They turned to look at Connor after having watched their sister run away.<br>'_Oh gods_,' Connor thought nervously as he stood in front of all of Madeline's siblings. Their faces were a mixture of confusion as they watched Madeline flee and ferocity as they turned to look at him in the doorway.  
>He could only imagine what they thought; Madeline had run out of the cabin, obviously upset, after they had been alone in the cabin -<em>alone<em>, which was against the rules. One of the biggest rules there was at camp.  
>"What did you do, <em>Stoll?<em>" one of Madeline's older brothers spat belligerently.  
>"Nothing!" Connor pleaded, thought the squeak in his voice didn't make him sound truthful. He silently cursed himself.<br>"You little-" one of her sisters began.  
>Connor nervously endured their threats and stole glances in the direction of Madeline for another second before stopping them.<br>"I have to go!" he said, charging through the group of Demeter children.  
>He sprinted after Madeline and desperately looked around for her. He didn't know where she was or what was happening, but he knew something was wrong. Terribly wrong. He ran past the forest and almost missed the crowd that was starting to gather. They were staring at the forest and the large plume of smoke that was rising from somewhere deep within it. As Connor slowed down and stopped to look, he saw Madeline dart into the forest with Percy following right behind her.<br>"Madeline!" he called after her, but he couldn't make it through the crowd soon enough. By the time he was at the tree line, there was no one in sight.

* * *

><p>Madeline dashed through the trees and over the roots as easily if she were running in an open field, while Percy stumbled behind her.<br>"There's too much smoke!" Madeline yelled as they ran, never looking back. "They're gonna die if we don't hurry!"  
>Percy wasn't sure what she was talking about, but he kept following her.<br>"I'm coming!" she yelled again, though she didn't seem to be talking to Percy. "I swear, it'll be okay!"  
>"Madeline?" he asked, shouting back to her. "Who are you talking to?"<br>"_Listen," _she replied impatiently. "They're screaming for help, Percy!"  
>The further they got into the forest, the more intense the heat grew from the fire, along with the bright glow of flames reflecting off the trees, as if they were on fire themselves.<br>Soon, the trees they saw _were_ on fire, completely engulfed in flames.  
>Madeline stopped a few yards away from the flames, and even then the heat was almost too much, forcing her to turn her face away and shield herself with her arms.<br>"Percy!" Madeline yelled over the roar of the flames as they licked the air and climbed higher into the sky.  
>The whole area was consumed in smoke, making their eyes sting and it hard to breathe.<br>Percy understood what he had to do and focused on all the water within Camp Half-Blood's borders.  
>Madeline could still hear the Dryads screaming, but she didn't see any. They must've been hiding in their trees and trying to escape the flames. She had to help.<br>While Madeline didn't have any control over fire, she could feel the life in the forest around her. She focused only on that, the trees and the plants and every botanical living thing she could feel around her. She willed them to resist the flames, made them go against their flammable nature. Madeline could feel herself slipping into a daze as her energy was draining away from faster than ever before her and into the plants being attacked by the flames.  
>As Madeline started to lose touch with consciousness, she heard a roar.<br>It was separate from the fire's loud breathing, a different kind of noise. She felt Percy grab her as they were surrounded with water. Waves of water replaced the fire and doused them, smothering them away and consuming everything in sight for a few, entrancing moments.  
>Madeline made herself stay awake, fighting the tiredness that was tugging at her eyelids and making her body go limp.<br>When the water finished falling around them, it revealed a singed forest.  
>Somehow, the trees hadn't burned, though they did have smoke rising and curling off them. Madeline almost couldn't believe it had worked.<br>She sat down, nearly collapsing, and leaned against a tree behind her, nearly crying with relief as she felt its cool bark. She did however let out a sob, covering her face with her hands as all her emotions crashed down on her, a hysterical sense of solace consuming her.  
>Percy sat down next to her and let out a huff.<br>"Thank you," Madeline said with gratitude, reaching over and squeezing Percy's hand. Percy nodded at her and squeezed her hand back before she let it fall away."Nice trick," she added, looking up at the blue sky where the water had flown to them.  
>Percy laughed and said, "The perks of being a son of the Sea God."<br>He looked at the previously ablaze forest and added, "You did some nice work, too. What was that?"  
>Madeline shook her head and answered, "I just told them to not burn. Who knew making trees supernaturally fire retardant could be so exhausting?"<br>After the two caught their breath for the first time from all the smoke, Madeline scanned the area with her eyes, smiling at the minimal damage.  
>"Are you okay?" she called out weakly, still breathing heavily.<br>Percy almost replied to her question her before he saw the girls stepping out from behind trees and realized she hadn't been speaking to him.  
>The Dryads gingerly made their way over to the two demigods, holding up their slightly charred chitons as they walked through the crunchy leaves on the ground with their sooty sandals.<br>"Madeline," one of the Dryads said tenderly, "you saved us."  
>"Percy helped," Madeline corrected her.<br>"You did help save us," one of the Dryads agreed, bowing her head slightly to Percy, "and for that we thank you."  
>"If you hadn't heard us, we would've burned before anyone came," another nymph said, turning to Madeline again.<br>"They're who you were hearing before," Percy realized.  
>"Yeah," Madeline agreed. "Must be why you couldn't hear them."<br>"Madeline!" a small Dryad shouted excitedly, running over to her. Her and Madeline hugged tightly, though Madeline cringed slightly at the impact. She was sore all over.  
>"Birka," the older girl replied. "I'm so glad you're okay."<br>"Thanks to you," Birka said. "If you guys didn't rescue us, we would've died because of that awful machine."  
>"I'll always be here to help," Madeline said. "What machine are you talking about though?"<br>"The terrible dragon," the young tree nymph answered.  
>Percy sighed and looked at Madeline sullenly.<br>"They're talking about The Bronze Dragon," he explained tiredly. "It's a giant automaton that the Hephaestus cabin created a _long_ time ago, years before I even came to camp. After a lot of things went wrong, he went haywire and disappeared into the forest. Ever since then, he's been lost in here. We've never been able to find and deactivate him."  
>"Wow," Madeline said, resting her head back on the bark of the tree she rested against. "So he did all this?"<br>"I guess so," Percy said. "We should get back to main camp and tell everyone what happened."  
>"Yeah," Madeline agreed, painfully standing herself up. "I say it's time to throw a hunting party."<p> 


	35. History

Eventually, after walking for a while in tired silence, Madeline and Percy emerged through the trees to face the whole camp.  
>They were all gathered at the edge of the forest, chattering anxiously.<br>"Percy. Madeline," Chiron addressed them. They both looked at Chiron with their soot-smudged faces and charred clothes and endured the hundreds of eyes that were now staring at them, waiting.  
>"It was The Bronze Dragon," Percy told him.<br>The news resonated through the gathered campers, the volume of the crowd rising in excitement.  
>"Silence!" Chiron called out, making the crowd fall quiet. "You are all to return to your normal training, immediately. Except for the Hephaestus cabin."<br>The campers all moaned and groaned, but they dispersed and made their way back to their regular schedules. The called upon campers stayed behind as the others left, stepping forward apprehensively.  
>After a minute, Chiron turned to Percy and Madeline again.<br>"How do you know the forest fire was the Bronze Dragon's doing?" he asked them.  
>"We spoke to the Dryads after putting out the fire," Madeline answered.<br>"What happened?" the centaur asked, looking at them intently.  
>"Well," Madeline said nervously, "I... I heard the Dryads calling for help because of the fire, so I grabbed Percy and found them. We put out the fire and came back here."<br>"You say you '_heard_' the Dryads?" Chiron asked curiously.  
>"Yes. In my head," she said slowly. She knew she sounded crazy.<br>"Interesting," Chiron mumbled. "I haven't seen that kind of connection in many years. In fact, Percy here is the closest thing I've seen with his empathy link with Grover."  
>Percy blushed a little and said, "But that's different. Grover's my best friend."<br>"Indeed, it is different. You, Madeline, seem to have a telepathic connection with the Dryads. I'm assuming it's a more powerful form of the cholorkenisis that you have as a child of Demeter."  
>"I guess that makes sense," Madeline said patiently. "But what about this Bronze Dragon. Is he just going to be allowed to just stay loose in the forest? He's obviously a danger as long as he's running wild."<br>"He's our responsibility," Jake Mason said, the head counselor of the Hephaestus cabin. "Our brother's and sister's made him years ago, and we rebuilt him again after that. He malfunctioned and got loose, and that's why he's in the forest now. We'll go and find him and deactivate him so that he's no longer a threat to Camp."  
>Madeline looked sympathetically at Jake, seeing the guilt he harbored, and nodded at him.<br>"Thank you for your services," Chiron said to her and Percy. "Now, both of you should go get clean and then return to your normal activities. This will be dealt with."  
>Madeline and Percy nodded to Chiron.<br>"Thanks again," she said to Percy as they left. "I wouldn't have been able to save the forest and the Dryads without your help."  
>Percy smiled at her and humbly responded, "No problem."<br>Madeline smiled back at Percy gratefully.  
>Just then, Connor jogged up to them.<br>"What happened?" he asked, looking at her singed clothes and the soot all over her legs, arms, face, and everywhere else. Her and Percy smelled like something burnt on a stove.  
>"Apparently," she replied, still not clear, "the Bronze Dragon."<br>"I see you guys later," Percy said, excusing himself as he left towards the Poseidon cabin.  
>Madeline looked at Connor, feeling guilty for leaving him so confused.<br>"The Dryads spoke to me," Madeline continued quietly, almost whispering, "screaming for help." She had a worried look on her face, as it she were sharing a dangerous secret. "Percy helped me put out the fire in the forest, and we talked to the Dryads after that, and they said that the Bronze Dragon started the fire."  
>"What was with your whole suffocating scene?" he asked.<br>"I... I'm not sure. I think the Dryads kinda overwhelmed me. I felt like I was choking on smoke, and they _were_ choking. Chiron says it's an extension of my...powers."  
>"You don't have to be scared," Connor said after a moment of silence, seeing the confusion in her eyes. "Your powers are part of who you are."<br>Madeline nodded, knitting her eyebrows together and smiling feebly.  
>"Are you okay?" he asked.<br>"Yeah," she assured him. "I'm fine."  
>"Good. We can talk about this later. You need to go rest now, though."<br>"Yeah," Madeline said sheepishly, looking down at her soot-covered self.  
>Connor held her hand for a moment before she left, glad she was safe.<br>"See you later," he said, letting her hand go as she walked away.

He had been so worried about her the whole time she had been away, a sick feeling in his stomach.  
>When he saw her, no blood and conscious, he could breathe again.<p>

* * *

><p>The rest of the day passed and Madeline spent it distracted and with a distant look on her face. She kept thinking about the forest fire and how bad it could have been. The Bronze Dragon kept coming across her mind. After nearly reliving her first day at Camp when she almost skewered someone, Madeline scolded herself and made herself focus. She would have time to talk about everything later.<p>

The time came that night at the campfire. Madeline enjoyed the sing-alongs and cheerful time with her brothers and sister and the rest of Camp Half-Blood. Connor met up with her when the campfire came to an end and everyone dispersed to their cabins.  
>"Hey," he said as he sat down next to a waiting Madeline.<br>"Hi," she replied, smiling weakly at him. She looked back at the dying fire and Connor noticed her biting her lip slightly like she did when she was troubled by something.  
>"What's up?" he asked her, knowing she was thinking deeply about something. He knew because she did the same thing in battle.<br>"I'm just thinking about the forest fire," she said lightly with a shrug.  
>Connor raised an eyebrow at her. She glanced sideways at him.<br>"What?" she grumbled.  
>"That's a lame answer," he said bluntly. "You can do better than that." He was almost surprised when Madeline wrapped her arms around his middle, ducking her head under his arm. Her placed it around her shoulders and held her, looking down at her.<br>"Before coming here," she said quietly, "I didn't even know any of this existed, that it was even possible. Now I have these powers."  
>"Why are you so worried about that?" Connor asked, furrowing his brow.<br>"That first day of Capture the Flag... I _hanged_ those kids," she responded, straightening herself to look at him, fear in her eyes. She turned her face away, like she was ashamed. Connor shook his head gently at her, reaching out and holding her hand.  
>"I don't understand what you're trying to say," he said softly.<br>"I could have _killed_ them," Madeline continued, pulling her hand away and wrapping her arms around her middle. There was a tone of anger in her voice. "It could have just as easily been their necks as it was their ankles. I could have killed them, with this _power_ I have now. And everyone acts like it's nothing."  
>Connor took a deep breath and moved closer to her, sensing the fear in her anger. He reached out and placed his hand on her thigh.<br>"Yeah, you could've," he said firmly, surprising Madeline. She looked at him, dropping her arms, and the worry returned to her face. "But you _didn't,_" he continued tenderly, "and you're leaning how to control your powers. And I'm not worried about it because I know you'd never hurt anyone. They're not something that's latched onto you, like some curse. They're part of _who you are. _And you're a good person, Mads."  
>Madeline looked down, squeezing her hand on top of his, and nodded, a distant look on her face.<br>"What else are you thinking about?" Connor asked her, seeing the unsatisfied look in her eyes. How could one person have so much going on their head?, he wondered with a small smile.  
>Madeline hesitated before saying softly, "tell me about it all."<br>"What do you mean?" he asked her.  
>"Camp. Before I got here," she clarified, still speaking softly. "The Battle of Manhattan, everything."<br>"What made you think about that?" he asked, looking at her with concern.  
>"It's just that...so much happened before I got here," she said, "so much that I don't really know about. I didn't know the Bronze Dragon even existed before today. You've fought in a <em>war,<em> to protect Olympus. People died," she continued, looking away, "and I don't even really know about it other than what I've learned through history class with Annabeth. I feel clueless."  
>"It's not your fault," he said, hearing the guilt in her voice. Knowing Madeline like he had come to, Connor knew she must feel separated from everything because of not knowing everything. He knew she hated not knowing things, not being able to help in some way. Not being able to properly care.<br>He cleared his throat and looked into the dimming campfire, calling upon the time of the previous few years in his life that revolved around so many terrible memories.  
>"The Battle of Manhattan was...a bad time," he began, Madeline turning to him and listening intently, a tender look in his eyes.<br>"Kronos was a real...a real piece of work. He wanted to destroy it all. The Gods, Olympus, anything and anyone that got in his way. Campers joined his side, and he used them to recruit more demigods, before we could even get to them. That year, so many kids went missing from camp. He would get them before they even knew about Camp, and made it seem like they were on the good side. They had all the monsters on their side, too. It all started with, uh... with Luke."  
>"He was your brother," Madeline said softly, not asking but rather stating it. "Luke Castellan." Connor nodded.<br>"You know, Annabeth came to Camp with...him. Thalia, too. They were all runaways together. Grover brought them here. That's where Thalia's Pine comes from; it hasn't always been there. They would've all been killed, but Thalia sacrificed herself to save them. To save _Luke_. He hated the Gods for that. I guess that's where his bad came from; his hatred. For our father especially. He blamed them for everything and was _so_ angry. It was destroying him. None of us knew it though. Not until it was too late. He was everyone's friend, the cool guy at camp. All the girls loved him. He was a good liar, though. Then he tried to start the war by stealing Zeus' Master Bolt and turning the Gods against each other. Percy stopped it, not even knowing it was all Luke's doing the whole time. Then he tried to kill Percy, right here at Camp. That's when we all knew it was him. It was... unbelievable. We were his family. We were the _only_ people who really cared about him, and he just turned against us."  
>Madeline reached out and held Connor's hand. "You don't have to tell me all of this," she said, shaking her head. "I shouldn't have asked." She could hear the pain in his voice and regretting asking, regretted bringing up all his bad memories.<br>"No. You deserve to know," Connor replied, not looking away from the dying flames of the bonfire. "After he turned on us, he poisoned Thalia's Pine, and that's when we knew how far gone he was. He was so full of hatred that he didn't care what he did, as long as it hurt the Gods somehow. Thalia had _truly_ been his family, and he had tried to kill the last piece of her, for the sake of his hatred for the Gods. Without the border, Camp was being attacked left and right by monsters. We were fighting non-stop, trying to stay alive in the one place that was supposed to be safe for us. We were fighting for our home. It had been his home too, though. Sometimes I think about it, and I still don't understand.  
>Percy went out on a quest and got the Golden Fleece, which we weren't even sure if it was real. It's funny in that way; here we are, children of supposedly mythical gods, and even now, we don't always know what's real. So he brought back the fleece and healed Thalia's Pine, and Camp was safe again. We could finally rest, but that didn't last long.<br>What everyone _really_ didn't see coming was Thalia being brought back to life. Now there was another kid who could be The Chosen One of the Great Prophecy. Another kid who could possibly get Olympus destroyed and get us all killed. But we had to trust Percy and Thalia, you know, because that's all we had.  
>After that, they were all out retrieving some new demigods, just a normal job, nothing too crazy. Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and Thalia. But some monsters got them, and Annabeth was gone, just like that. Artemis, too, the goddess. Kronos had made his next move. He had them, so it was another quest for Percy. The worst part was that we all had to wait here, everyday, not knowing if or when it would all come crashing down and we'd all be done for. The Hunters were part of it, too. They had to save Artemis. They're kind of a package deal. The end of all that was the big battle on Mount Tam in California. They got back everyone they had gone to save... but a few got lost on the way. You know who the kids were that they were getting in the first place when Annabeth got kidnapped?"<br>Madeline shook her head.  
>"It was Nico di Angelo and his older sister, Bianca. She became a Hunter, part of Artemis' pack. She got killed on their way to save Annabeth and Artemis. Then in the battle on Mount Tam, Zoe Nightshade got killed by Atlas. Her own dad. They were nice girls... fun to prank."<br>A small smile pulled at the corners of Connor lips before he continued, his expression saddening again.  
>"Everyone else made it back in the end. After that, Kronos was still getting stronger, still getting ready for his <em>real <em>attack. But before that, there was the Battle of the Labyrinth. It happened here at Camp. We thought we were safe again with the border up, but his army found a way in. The Labyrinth really screwed us over that time.  
>One of the campers who died that day, Lee Fletcher, he was probably the best archer I've ever seen. He could pin a fly to a tree without killing it when he was given a bow and arrow. Mr. D. lost a son, too; Castor. He was a quiet guy, but nice. His twin brother's Pullox, but he doesn't hang around Camp much anymore. I wouldn't either. Daedalus let himself be killed to destroy the Labyrinth, and that was the end of <em>that<em>. It was scary, fighting in that battle. It was nothing compared to The Battle of Manhattan, though.  
>By then, Luke was completely gone. He had Kronos in his body. He had brought him back, and they were going to finally attack Olympus. A lot of us got killed in that," he said, stopping for a moment, remembering all the fallen heroes and friends.<br>He cleared his throat and continued.  
>"We were spread real thin all across Manhattan, and there were so many more monsters. But there wasn't any room for being scared. It was time to fight. At one point in the middle of it, Travis and I had to leave each other and go separate ways. We didn't know if we would see each other again. I don't think I've ever been more scared than I was then. He took the Brooklyn Bridge and I got the Manhattan Bridge. Katie even took the Demeter cabin to Brooklyn Tunnel. In the end, Luke died and Kronos died with him. It was a really dark time, but we all fought hard. We got through it."<br>"I'm glad you did," Madeline said quietly, leaning her head on his shoulder.  
>"I'm glad I did, too," he replied.<br>There was so much more to it that Madeline couldn't even imagine. It was overwhelming to think so much had happened in the few years before she came to Camp Half-Blood.  
>"The Bronze Dragon is a whole 'nother story," Connor continued. Madeline had forgotten about that. "The Hephaestus cabin built it <em>years<em> ago, I think in the mid 1900's, to protect Camp. That was before the magic border existed. It's an automaton, but alive. A living beast really. It went crazy some time after being built and disappeared into the woods. It was just lost for a long time. Then, a few years back, it was found again. The Hephaestus cabin rebuilt it, just like their brothers and sisters before them. Beckendorf kinda became its master. Charles Beckendorf. Ah, man... he was a _brilliant_ dude. I swear, he could build anything from nothing. And he was a great guy, too. He got killed by Kronos' army."  
>Madeline could hear the sadness in his voice again.<br>"It turns out his girlfriend was a traitor at Camp the whole time. She wasn't a bad person though. Luke just... got to her. Her name was Silena Beauregard, a daughter of Aphrodite. She was a nice girl, actually, not anything like Drew, not like her siblings now. It's a shame, really. That cabin's gone to shit since Silena left. She got killed in the Battle of Manhattan. The Lydian Dragon got her. She was Clarisse's best friend; a strange pairing. After she died, Clarisse _slaughtered_ that thing. It was... terrifying to watch. After Beckendorf's death, the Bronze Dragon went haywire again, and he's been rogue in the forest ever since."  
>They didn't speak for a long while, sitting there in the silence of the night by the embers of the fire.<br>"You know why I don't think of Silena as a traitor?" Connor asked.  
>"Why?"<br>"I've never told anyone this. But there was a time, a small time before things got really bad, that I almost went to Luke."  
>Madeline furrowed her brow at him, but held no judgement.<br>"He was your brother," she said, knowingly.  
>Connor nodded, smiling at her, grateful she understood. "He'd been the only person who could tell me and Travis apart, when we were younger. I still don't know how. People used to think we were twins. But Luke knew. And when he left, I wanted to go with him. I mean, I know what he did was bad. There's no excuse for it. But he was my brother. I wanted to...to bring him home. If I had gone to him, who knows? Maybe he'd have persuaded me to stay, just like he did with all those other kids. I can't blame Silena. She wasn't a bad person, and neither was Luke. We're all just human..."<br>"Half," Madeline said. They both paused for a moment before grins spread across their faces, laughing softly at the truthful joke.  
>"Thank you for telling me all of that," Madeline said quietly.<br>Connor took a deep breath before saying, "Like I said. You deserve to know."  
>After another moment of silence, the crackling embers in front of them the only noise, he added, "Beckendorf would've liked you. I'm sure of it. He was probably the only guy Travis and I never pulled a prank on. We know we would've gotten our asses kicked if we did," he said, laughing softly. Madeline chuckled with him.<br>"You remind me of Selena. I'm sure you remind everyone else of her, too. You're both kind, and beautiful. And strong. They _all_ would've liked you. I know it."  
>Madeline smiled, but felt a sense of melancholy wash over her that she had never gotten to know any of these great people that had all been lost to the war before she came to Camp Half-Blood. Before she even knew her real life and people like them existed.<br>Connor looked down at Madeline, his arm around her, and smiled.  
>'<em>If only they could all see me now,<em>' Connor thought to himself. None of his passed friends would believe he had Madeline if he could tell them.  
>"It's late," she said, straightening up from Connor's shoulder and removing her arms from his. "It'll be lights out soon."<br>"Yeah," he said, standing up next to Madeline as they left the campfire.  
>"You know what you did today was great, right?" he asked her as they stood in front of the Demeter cabin.<br>She smiled faintly and said, "Yeah, I guess. I mean, I'm know it was good. I'm not making small of it. But it kinda pales in comparison to what's been done by campers before me."  
>Connor smiled lopsidedly at her and replied, "It'll still be one of the stories that is told in the future by the campers after us. Maybe some Demeter girl'll be sitting by the fire years from now and say, 'I wanna be like <em>her<em>. _That_ girl was a hero. Out of her goddamn mind, maybe, running towards a forest fire like that, but pretty bad-ass.'"  
>Madeline smiled bashfully, laughing softly. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Connor's waist, resting her head against his chest. He hugged her back, holding her tightly and nuzzling his face into the space between her neck and her shoulder.<br>"Thanks for getting me to talk about it all," he said suddenly, still holding her.  
>"I know it was hard," Madeline said lovingly.<br>"It's not something we talk about," he responded. "I mean, it's just not something everyone who was part of it talks about. It hurts to remember it all, but that doesn't mean it's not good to remember. It's kinda nice to talk about it, in a weird way. It's good to remember all of them."  
>"You can always talk with me," she said.<br>"I know," Connor said, pulling back and kissing her softly on her lips. "Goodnight."  
>Madeline returned his tender kiss, their arms still wrapped around each other.<br>"Goodnight," she said, letting her hands fall away from him and turning to enter her Cabin #4. Connor did the same and left for the Hermes cabin, his heart feeling lighter and heavier at the same time.


	36. Letters

Madeline slashed at her opponent with her twin daggers, her favorite weapons. When she fought with a sword, she was still good, but daggers felt more natural in her hands. She could move quicker and more gracefully, like she was meant to with her body. The disadvantage of needing to get closer to her oponent wasn't a problem for Madeline because she was so nimble. Watching her fight was like watching a dancer preform; with bronze daggers, of course.  
>She continued to attack her partner, an older boy from the Hermes cabin who she knew as Jack; he fought with a broadsword, until she had one dagger at his throat and the other ready to be stabbed into his heart. Madeline smiled brightly and froze when she ended the battle, nodding proudly at the boy. He had been a challenge, but Madeline was a wonderful fighter now. She had improved a lot since her first day at Camp Half-Blood when she was getting "killed" everytime she lifted a weapon. Now that she was a worthy fighter she won almost every battle, the only campers who could defeat her being her boyfriend, Percy, and a few other gifted demigods, like Clarisse. She had even beat Annabeth once, though that had <em>not<em> been an easy feat. They had been fighting for nearly half an hour before Madeline bettered Annabeth. Afterwards, Annabeth smiled at Madeline and sincerely congratulated her, admiration in her voice. Even the people at Camp who didn't know Madeline very much knew of her kindness and how endearing she was, no one beyond the reach of her smiles and laughter. Though Drew and her weren't exactly friends now, even she didn't quite hate Madeline. Madeline had achieved total peace with everyone at Camp Half-blood, her new home free of enemies, much like the rest of her life. Even the more unfriendly demigods were regarded as distant aquaintaces by her. She saw no reason to hate anyone. It was a waste of energy.  
>As Madeline replaced her daggers in their sheaths at her waist, Connor came up behind her and gave her a peck on the cheek.<br>"Hi," she said happily, turning around and facing her boyfriend.  
>"Hey," he replied, matching her smile. "Nice job."<br>"Thanks," Madeline said proudly. "Soon, I might be able to beat you."  
>"Okay, now. Let's not get <em>over<em>confident," Connor joked, holding up a hand to stop her boasting.  
>"If anything, you're the one with too much confidence in this relationship," Madeline stated with a smirk.<br>"Maybe," Connor said, shrugging and leaning down to kiss her, like they had done so many times before.  
>Even though they had shared so many kisses, each one felt like the first time. Madeline couldn't stop herself from smiling into his lips and blushing, her heart feeling like it was dancing in her chest. The sweet taste of her lips was a relief to Connor, who could only imagine her soft lips when they were apart, the real thing much better than the memories that floated through his mind whenever they weren't together.<br>While the group took a break, the couple went over to a far wall of the Arena where they were training, separating themselves from the rest of the class.  
>Connor cradled Madeline's waist and her back in his hands as she held his neck softly, her fingers gently playing with his soft hair. They kept it up for the next minute or so before they had to unfortunately leave each other to battle again.<br>"Everyone, back to training," Percy had announced loudly, making sure the Connor and Madeline heard him over their lust.  
>They sheepishly returned to their sparring partners. They didn't plan on getting distracted like they did so often, but they weren't going to fight it, either.<br>At Arts and Crafts later on that day, Madeline beamed at her finished sculpture of interwoven serpents that turned into a vase with wings that held a bouquet of flowers. She had been working on it for the two months that she had been at Camp Half-Blood and it was finally done. It looked just like she had imagined it in her head as it was created from the black and white marble. Before this summer, she would've never imagined creating something like it. She wanted to show Connor, but she didn't know where he was at the moment. She could tell him about it at the campfire, as well as the letter she had received from her father.  
>As Madeline had left the Arts and Crafts temple, a girl had stopped her and said Chiron wanted to see her at the Big House. Madeline thanked her and curiously made her way to him, wondering what it could possible be about.<br>She stepped onto the grand porch and walked over to Mr. D and Chiron's current game of Pinochle, politely clearing her throat to announce her presence.  
>"You wanted to see me?" she asked Chiron.<br>"Ah, yes Madeline," he replied, wheeling into to the Big House in his wheel chair.  
>Madeline followed him to a part of the Big House she hadn't been before, in fact, she had barely been inside the Big House. She had only ever been on the deck now that she thought of it. Madeline followed Chiron into a study that she figured was his office. She looked around as he wheeled over to a desk; there was an ancient looking record player along with records and cassette tapes dated 30's, 40's, 50's, and so on, reminding Madeline how old Chiron was, which she often forgot. She saw a few very old photo albums on a bookcase shelf and realized that Chiron was around when photos were actually invented.<br>"Your father sent a letter," Chiron said, taking her from her thoughts. "It arrived this morning."  
>Madeline took the white envelope with her name written on the front in her father's handwriting and smiled at it, pleasantly surprised.<br>"Thanks," Madeline said as she took the letter and neatly opened it, only partially slipping it out of its envelope. With one look at the scroll handwriting of her father, she decided she would decipher the message somewhere else, not wanting to deal with her Dyslexia in front of Chiron.  
>Madeline left Chiron's office with a polite smile and walked out to the porch, sitting down in one of the empty rocking chairs at the far end.<br>She opened the letter again and grew more and more excited, her smile growing too, as she slowly read the letter with wonderful news.


	37. Mission: Approved

Madeline grinned at the letter and folded it back into its envelope, putting it in her pocket and excitedly jogging to the campfire, hoping to find Connor as soon as possible.  
>The fire glowed brightly in the dark night, illuminating all the campers as they gathered around the flames. Madeline looked around and found Connor's head of curly hair sitting with his brother, discussing whatever prank they had planned next.<br>"Hi guys," she said, interrupting their talk.  
>"Hey," they both replied.<br>Madeline sat down next to Connor, containing her energy, and pulled out the envelope.  
>"Sorry to interrupt," she said happily, holding up the letter, "but I got a letter from my father."<br>They both looked at her, not impressed with her news. But getting a letter wasn't the exciting part, so she continued.  
>"He says he wants me to go home for the weekend," she finished. "He has something for me, but I have no idea what."<br>"Cool," Connor said. "You have to be careful though. Monsters find pretty girls as tasty meals."  
>"I'll be fine," she assured him, smiling at him.<br>"But I'm not going to be there to save your ass," Connor teased her.  
>"You've only had to save my life <em>a few<em> times," Madeline joked. "I can survive for a few days without my macho bodyguard."  
>"Macho?" he inquired, smirking and raising an eyebrow at her, encouraging her to continue.<br>"Ahuh," she answered, "And handsome, and funny, and-"  
>"<em>Okay<em>," Travis interrupted as they leaned in to kiss, standing up and walking away. "I'm gonna go now, leave you two alone."  
>Madeline chuckled and gave Connor a peck on the lips.<br>"You can take a break from being my knight in shining armor for one weekend."  
>"Who said I wanted to take a break from saving my princess?" Connor asked thoughtfully.<br>Madeline felt like her heart was crying tears of joy for a moment. She sighed quietly and smiled at him softly.  
>"You could come with me," she suggested hopefully.<br>"I could, couldn't I? But I'd have to check my schedule, you know. So many things to do here-"  
>"Oh, shut up," Madeline laughed, rolling her eyes.<br>"You can't be serious," Connor said jokingly, though he felt a small twinge of nervousness growing in his chest. "I mean, that'd mean I would be meeting your father."  
>"Yeah," Madeline cautiously, trying not to scare him off. She knew it was every teenage boy's worst nightmare.<br>"Hmm," he said skeptically, considering the possibilities.  
>"I swear," Madeline said jokingly, "he doesn't even have a shotgun...just a revolver, I think."<br>Connor smiled at her and laughed.  
>"What if he deems me unworthy of dating his only daughter?" Connor asked, putting on a mock air of seriousness.<br>"I'd be with you regardless if he gives us his blessing," she answered dramatically, placing a hand over her heart.  
>"Oh, forbidden love!" Connor swooned dramatically, throwing his head back with a sigh.<br>Madeline felt her chest flutter when he used that word and swallowed the feeling to regain her composure.  
>"So you'll go then?" she asked, holding his hand and intertwining their fingers together.<br>"Yeah," Connor answered after a moment, smiling lopsidedly. "I guess I will."  
>Madeline smiled at him and leaned in again for another kiss. She could feel him smiling against her lips, causing her to smile too widely to even kiss him.<br>They both pulled away from the unsuccessful kiss and laughed. Connor leaned down and kissed Madeline's neck softly, causing her to recoil a little bit.  
>"That tickles," she said with a chuckle.<br>"That's the point," Connor said against her skin, his warm breath tickling Madeline even more.  
>She turned her head and looked at his disappointing face as he had to pull away.<br>"I don't need a hickey when my father is meeting my boyfriend for the first time," she said matter-of-factly, raising an eyebrow at him.  
>"Fine," Connor sighed, kissing her on the lips again.<p>

* * *

><p>The first thing next morning, Madeline walked over to the Big House to talk to Chiron.<br>"Good morning," she said joyfully as she smiled at Mr. D and Chiron.  
>"Hardly," Mr D. replied.<br>"Good morning, " Chiron said, ignoring Dionysus's bitter mood.  
>"The letter my father sent," Madeline explained, "said that he wanted me to go back home, just for the weekend. I'm not sure why, but he must have a good reason. I'm asking permission to leave Camp Half-Blood."<br>Chiron thought about it for a moment before saying, "Your father is a sensible man. I grant you permission to leave Camp Half-Blood."  
>Madeline smiled and nodded at him.<br>"And may I bring a companion?" Madeline slipped in, seizing the moment of agreement.  
>Chiron waited a breathe's length before replying, "Yes, you are allowed <em>one<em> companion. Seeing as this isn't exactly a quest, sending out anymore demigods would be an unnecessary risk."  
>"Thank you, Chiron," Madeline said gratefully.<br>"Be ready to leave Saturday morning and be back by Sunday night."  
>"Will do," Madeline said, saluting the centaur.<br>Chiron smiled at Madeline and said, "Have a nice day, Madeline."  
>"You too, Chiron," she said as she left the Big House porch.<p>

* * *

><p>After eating breakfast, Madeline caught Connor as he was leaving the Dining Pavilion.<br>"Mission approved," she said in a serious tone.  
>Connor cracked a smile before replying in an equally serious tone, "When will the mission sequence commence action?"<br>Madeline laughed, throwing away her character, and said in her normal voice, "Saturday morning."  
>"Okay. Two days. Cool."<br>They both smiled as they walked away, looking forward to the weekend.


	38. Dream

Madeline rested as she dozed off in the warm shade of the tree next to Connor. They sat at the edge of the beach, where the blades of grass started to shoot out from the golden sand, under a tree. Madeline and Connor both had free time and decided to relax for once. Since they were leaving after tomorrow, they wanted a time where they didn't need to deal with anything.  
>They had been talking and laughing at first, but then Madeline got so comfortable next to Connor that everything around her started to lull her into a daze. The smell of Connor, soap and something sweet, calmed her down, along with the sound of his voice and all the life around her. As Madeline napped next to Connor, her head on his shoulder and his arm around her waist, a younger daughter of Apollo walked by. She had been taking pictures of the camp and its campers and couldn't skip this perfect photo op.<br>Connor grinned his lopsided smile and glanced down at Madeline as she rested against him, her dark, long, curly hair cascading over her shoulder as his arm held her close to him. The Apollo girl snapped the picture and smiled at the pair.

Madeline was walking down one of the paths in Camp Half-Blood, a suspiciously quiet Camp Half-Blood. It was strange that no one else was around, but Madeline felt none out of the ordinary as she walked around the familiar place, though she had a tense feeling in her chest, as if she could sense something was out of place but couldn't tell what. Down the path, a girl appeared, smiling at Madeline and walking towards her. Curious, Madeline walked forward and met her half way.  
>The red haired girl in jeans and a paint splattered t-shirt smiled sadly at Madeline, reaching out to touch her hand.<br>As their hands met, the campers returned, suddenly appearing around her and doing their usual activities as if they had been there the whole time.  
>"<em>I'm so sorry Madeline<em>," she said in a far away voice, her eyes suddenly glowing a misty green.

Madeline's eyes snapped open and she abruptly sat up from her cozy spot next to Connor, his arm falling away from her waist.  
>She wore a confused look on her face and breathed deeply, trying to slow her racing heart rate.<br>"What's wrong?" Connor asked her worriedly.  
>"It was a just a dream," she said quietly, turning to look at Connor, faking a lighthearted smile.<br>He didn't seem assured by this though, as his face was still formed into a look of worry.  
>"It's never just a dream for us," he told her. "We don't get that luxury anymore."<br>"It wasn't _spectacular_ or anything. I was just at Camp Half-Blood, walking down the path. Some girl walked up to me and said she was sorry. Then it ended."  
>"What did the girl look like?" Connor asked, sitting forward and looking at Madeline intently.<br>"I've never seen her before, ever. She was white, with red hair-"  
>"Was she wearing jeans and a t-shirt? Kinda hippie looking."<br>Madeline looked at Connor with furrowed brows and scared eyes.  
>"Yes. She had jeans and a t-shirt with paint all over it. How...how'd you know that?"<br>"That's Rachel. Rachel Elizabeth Dare. She mortal, but she's allowed into Camp because, well, she hosts the Oracle."  
>"The Oracle? As in-"<br>"Yeah, the Oracle of Delphi."  
>They both sat in silence for a moment, staring at the ground in thought.<br>"What does it mean then?" Madeline asked Connor.  
>"No idea," he told her.<br>Connor looked at her and added, "But we don't have to think about this right now. It might not be that serious."  
>"Yeah, you're right." she said, nodding.<br>Madeline stood up and held Connor's hand as he stood next to her. He noticed that she was holding his hand a tighter than usual.  
>He looked down at her, smiling at the worried frown she wore.<br>"Relax," he whispered to her, earning a small smile. She took a deep breath and mumbled an apology.  
>They walked down the path, hand in hand, with Madeline's head resting against Connor's side while he wrapped his arm comfortingly around her.<p> 


	39. Bus Time

Madeline shuffled through her bag one last time, making sure she had everything she would need for the weekend. Seeing that she did indeed have everything, from her clothes neatly folded to her daggers sheathed at her ankles (hidden by her jeans, of course), she said a final goodbye to her siblings and then left the Demeter cabin. They all wished her good luck and told her to be careful, their warm looks reminding Madeline of home so much and making her long for her first home even more. Katie reminded her that if anything happened to Iris message Camp. Madeline had learned about them from her time at Camp Half- Blood, and though she found them fascinating, hoped she wouldn't be given a reason to need one.  
>She waited in the center of the cabins for Connor, who came walking out of the Hermes cabin only a minute later. She saw Travis and Connor say their goodbyes, along with the few other Hermes children who had woken up early to send him off. She waved back at them, sending an assuring smile to Travis as she and Connor walked away towards Half Blood Hill.<br>Atop the hill, next to Thalia's Pine, Chiron stood there, his stallion lower half glowing in the morning light.  
>"Good morning," he greeted the two warmly.<br>They nodded back in response, standing next to the tall centaur.  
>"Here," Chiron said, holding out a package; inside there was a wad of cash, several golden drachmas, wrapped up golden squares of Ambrosia, and a canteen of Nectar.<br>"Be careful, my dear demigods."  
>Connor took the parcel, reaching back to put it in his backpack. "Of course we will," he said with a faint air of sarcasm.<br>Madeline tossed him a look of amused disapproval as Chiron frowned.  
>"We'll be careful, Chiron," Madeline assured him.<br>He nodded at them, clapping Connor on the shoulder and holding Madeline's hand in both of his for a moment when they turned to leave.  
>They walked down to the road in the distance, a "Delphi Strawberry Co." truck waiting with a patient Argus leaning against its side. He nodded at Connor and Madeline as they opened the door and hopped into the back seat. He calmly slid into the driver's seat and turned the key, bringing the truck to life and driving down the street, away from Camp Half-Blood. Madeline glanced out the window just before the familiar sight disappeared from view; the distant figure of a centaur standing beside a great pine in the soft morning light.<br>Argus drove through the New York traffic which, even in the early morning, seemed everlasting and constant. After a short enough ride, they finally arrived at the bus station.  
>"Goodbye, Argus," Madeline said kindly as he leaned out the window, all his many eyes blinking a warm reply to her. She wondered what all the mortals around her would see if they looked at the man covered in eyes, what the mist was capable of.<br>He sat back in the driver's seat of the truck and pulled away into traffic again, leaving the curb and disappearing into the flow of vehicles.  
>Connor and Madeline turned around and walked into the bus station. They made their way over to a ticket window.<br>"Two tickets to Rhode Island, please," Madeline said politely. The bored looking counter woman typed something into the computer in front of her and dully pulled out the two bus tickets that the machine spit out. Madeline cheerily handed over the money and took the tickets. She handed Connor his ticket and stuffed hers into her jean pocket.  
>They walked over to a nearby bench and sat down.<br>"We'll be at my house by noon," she said, smiling at Connor.  
>He smiled back at her and said, "So, what'd your father say when you told him you were bringing me?"<br>"Well," Madeline said cautiously, like she did whenever she was delivering unpleasant news, "I told him I was bringing along a friend, I just didn't get into the details."  
>Connor stared at her before saying, "He doesn't know you're bringing home your boyfriend."<br>"He didn't ask," Madeline said innocently, smiling sweetly. If Connor didn't know her so well, he'd have been fooled by her acting. "I did say a _friend_, I just didn't say what kind of friend."  
>"Do you really think it's a good idea to spring me as a surprise on your father by bringing me <em>home<em> with you?" he scolded her, looking at her with an worried glare.  
>"Oh, c'mon. Cheer up. I don't think it's a good idea, but it's not a terrible idea either. Besides, you're charming enough," she added, pinching his cheek mockingly.<br>"Though true," Connor said smugly, smacking her hand away, "flattery doesn't help. Much."  
>"Aw," Madeline said with a pout, sliding closer to him and putting her hands on his knees. "Who wouldn't like a handsome, charming young whipper snapper like you?"<br>"Hmm," he said thoughtfully, taking up an air of wonder. "Probably the father of a pretty girl who I have my eyes on."  
>Madeline shrugged, dismissing the topic as she stood up.<br>"Well, no going back now," she said. "The bus leaves in 10 minutes."  
>Connor sighed and walked with her towards their bus; they would ride it for a few hours to Rhode Island, where they would then make it to Madeline's house, and then finally meet her father for the surprise he had waiting for her. They walked up the steps into the comfortable coach bus and choose a pair of seats in the back of the bus, placing their bags on the ground.<br>People slowly filled the bus, the driver announcing their departure as they were finally leaving the station.  
>Madeline sat with her back to the window, sideways in her large seat with one of her legs pulled comfortably up to her chest.<br>Connor grinned at her small figure in the seat and fiddled with the hem of her jeans. She flicked his hand away, straightening the pant leg and covering up the dark leather sheath that had been revealed, and pulled out a thick book from her bag. Despite her dyslexia, Connor noted, Madeline loved to read big, fat books. He smiled at her without her noticing and watched her brush one of her dark curls behind her ear as she glanced out the window at the passing city around them.  
>He pulled an iPod out from his bag and popped a pair of ear buds into his ears.<br>"I'm going to take a nap, seeing as I had to wake up at _6:30_ for this _adventure_," he told her, leaning his head back against the headrest and closing his eyes.  
>Madeline looked back at him and enjoyed the sight of him. Her eyes followed the strong line of his jaw and came to a small area by his temple where a muscle was moving beneath the skin as he fidgeted, trying to get to sleep. She resisted the urge to reach out and gently touch his face. Sometimes she would look at him and not believe he was real, not able to fully accept the fact that she could just reach out and feel him.<br>For the next few hours, Connor slept next to Madeline as she read her book, Wuthering Heights. She would look up from the pages every so often and smile at him, glad for his company.  
>For no particular reason, Madeline glanced out the window to the highway that flashed by, as she often did whenever traveling, and something caught her eye.<br>Through the dark tinted window, she notice two bright red motorcycles riding alongside the bus. Their two massive riders wore dark red helmets and leather everything, from the gloves they wore to the jackets that surrounded their massive shoulders and backs.  
><em>'Nice bikes,' <em>Madeline thought to herself, noting the menacing painted flames that surrounded the bodies and the real, blue flames that shot out from the backs.  
>As if they had heard her thoughts, the two bikers turned and looked directly at Madeline in sync. She was sure they couldn't see her through the dark windows, but they were looking straight at her, making what she considered eye contact. She couldn't see either of their faces beneath the helmets, but for some reason, their stares made Madeline's heart flutter with a sudden surge of fear. She swallowed and felt her chest tighten in terror.<br>As she watched, one of the riders flicked his hand and Madeline felt the bus swerve, losing control as it strayed from the road.


	40. Biker Buddies

Connor's eyes flew open as he felt the gravity warp around him and, to his horror, realized the bus was leaving the road.  
>Instinctively, he reached over and braced Madeline, who was holding onto him with one hand, with his arm while holding onto his seat with white knuckles with the other hand. The bus was falling to the side of the highway, where the ground dropped away to a deep ditch filled with stray trees. The left side of the bus, where Connor and Madeline sat, was lifting off the ground. With a violent jerk, the bus's descent was abruptly stopped when its right side crashed into a tree a few hundred feet away from the road. The screams that had been filling the small air of the bus stopped with the crash as everyone's faces were plastered with looks of fear and shock.<br>"Connor," Madeline chocked out.  
>"Are you okay?" he asked, looking at her face, which had gone pale.<br>"We have to get out of here," she said in a small voice.  
>"What?" he asked, breathing heavy.<br>"Something's here. Or two somethings. I'm not sure. But we have to leave. Now."  
>Before he could say anything back, she stepped over his legs and hoisted her bag onto her shoulder as she ran off the bus. Connor paused only for a moment before following after her.<br>He heard the bus driver call after them but didn't stop to hear what he said as he ran to catch up with Madeline as she scrambled up the side of the hill, grabbing at the hillside dirt and dry shrubbery with her bare hands, not wasting a single moment. He came up from the ditch next to her on the road, catching his breath, and caught her arm as she began to walk away.  
>"Mads, hold up! What happened?"<br>She looked at him and swallowed with her dry throat before answering.  
>"There were these two guys on motorcycles. But they're gone now," she added in a confused tone, looking down the stretch of highway and seeing no such motorcycles.<br>"I don't see what's so bad about that," he said cautiously, trying not to antagonize her. "But if you think something's up, let's go"  
>Madeline looked at him gratefully for assuring her she wasn't crazy and then began walking down the side of the road.<br>As they walked along the side of the highway for the next few miles, she kept glancing over her shoulder as if expecting to be attacked by those bikers again.  
>"I don't know what's really going on, but I know," Connor said next to her, "we're gonna have to borrow a car."<br>"By borrow you mean _steal_," Madeline said in a calm tone, realizing he was right. They couldn't risk public transportation again. Something was after them.  
>"Yeah," Connor said looking down at her weary face. She was obviously thinking too much about what had happened, which he still didn't fully understand.<br>"Cheer up," he told her in a lighthearted attempt to get her to smile. She looked at him sadly and blinked before looking back at the road ahead of them, the loud cars passing by and causing a wind that blew her hair around. He brushed a curl behind her ear and let his hand linger on her cheek. She leaned her head into his touch and brought up her hand to hold his.  
>"Can you even drive?" she asked suddenly, confused and coming out of her daze.<br>"I learned over the years. Travis and I kept ourselves entertained."  
>Madeline laughed softly at this as they came to one of the highway's exit. They walked away from the busy road and came out to a small town's plaza. Apparently, there were in a Old Lyme, Connecticut, a few hundred miles separating them from their destination.<br>"At least we're already halfway there," she said hopefully.  
>Connor led them to the back of a department store where employee cars were parked.<br>"I know we're demigods, " Madeline said, "but mortal laws still apply to us. I'm not sure about thi-"  
>Connor turned around scanned the area, interrupting her.<br>"There," he said pointing at something she couldn't see, "there, and there. That's where the security cameras are. So," he added, walking over to a seemingly random car, "this car is in a blind spot."  
>Madeline looked at him with conflicted admiration.<br>"Impressive. And worrying. I'm dating a skilled criminal."  
>"Well," he said with a smug smirk, "I <em>am<em> the son of the God of Thieves."  
>Connor pulled out something small from his pocket and was opening the car door the next moment. He hopped into the driver's seat and reached across to open Madeline's door.<br>With a sigh, she sat down next to him.  
>"We're hijacking some poor person's car," she said sullenly.<br>Connor looked at her with an amused smile that she couldn't help but smile back at. She glanced in the rear view mirror and then out the window.  
>"Just hurry up, before I change my mind about this."<br>Connor reached down and pressed a button, popping open the trunk of the car. Walking around the pack of the vehicle and lifting the metal door open, Madeline could hear him rummaging around for something, her anxiety growing. He returned quickly, a tool box in his hands, and closed the driver side door behind him.  
>"Gladly," he replied, placing the tool box in between them. Pulling out a screwdriver and changing its head several times, he stuck the tool in the ignition, grinning proudly at the purr of the engine. She rolled her eyes at him and smiled nervously.<p>

They drove for the next few hours, small town after small town passing by them as they neared Madeline's home. After several hundred miles of laughing and joking, putting the previous events behind them, the gas tank of their "borrowed" car started to beep and blink in protest.  
>"Make it quick," Madeline pleaded as they pulled into a gas station.<br>"You should get us some candy while I fill the tank," Connor said causally, as if they weren't in a stolen vehicle.  
>Madeline shook her head at his good mood and hopped out of the car. She heard him clicking the gas nozzle into the car when she pushed open the convenient store door, a bell chiming overhead. She paid for the gas at the counter to a bored looking, middle aged man and then went to browse through the large selection of candy the place had to offer. After a minute, she had decided on a bag of chips and several candy bars.<br>As she paid for the goods at the counter, Madeline looked outside through the large store windows and nearly stopped breathing.  
>Pulling into the gas station with their loud engines, a mere few feet away from Connor, were the two gnarly motorcycles from before, the same menacing flames surrounding their mean looking metal bodies with their equally mean looking riders.<br>She stifled a gasp, almost forgetting her things as she sprinted past the motorcycles and to her clueless boyfriend. She grabbed Connor's wrist, ready to yank him into the car and drive away. But when she turned around to look at the bikers, they were gone.  
>Madeline let her grip drop from her startled boyfriend's wrist and slowly walked over to the spot where they had been a moment before.<br>She let out an exasperated huff and stared at the empty space.  
>"Uh," Connor asked cautiously, "hey, what's up?"<br>"They were here again!" Madeline answered angrily, turning around in the spot where she stood, throwing her hands in the air. She blinked and let her tone soften before saying, "The two from before. From the bus. _They're_ the ones that made us crash."  
>"C'mon," Connor told her, getting into the car. Madeline looked at the spot for a second longer before turning and walking to the car, worry furrowing her eyebrows.<br>They pulled away from the gas station and drove for a few minutes in silence before Connor asked, "Who'd you see?"  
>"They were the same ones from earlier, the ones who made the bus crash," Madeline said again, sounding distant. "There were two of them, on red motorcycles. I swear I saw them, but then they disappeared, just like before. I swear I saw them..."<br>Connor thought about it for a moment before saying, "I don't know who they are, but let's just get to your house before anything else happens."  
>Madeline nodded in agreement, looking out the window again.<br>Usually it was Madeline in the relentlessly cheery mood, but now, seeing how worried she was about whatever was following them, Connor had to make an attempt at that role. He hated the way her usually smiling lips were turned down at the corners in her state of gloom and spent the rest of the drive trying to get her to past her worry. She started to relax while they were deciphering the map from the car's glove compartment together and eating candy, but he knew she wouldn't truly feel better until they reached her house, and her father.  
>Connor didn't think about it much, but in the few moments when his thoughts drifted, her felt a new kind of fear. He hadn't ever met any girls' father before; especially not the father of the girl he was dating. Even though Madeline was convinced her dad would love him, Connor wasn't so sure.<br>He figured Travis wouldn't be much help, since the few, very brief times he had met Katie's father at the beginning and end of the summer weren't much to take notes from. It was awkward enough thinking about talking to his brother about it, so he didn't ask Katie or any of his sisters. Connor also didn't mention it to Madeline because he didn't want to worry her about it. He had no idea what to expect when they finally reached her house.  
>After about another half hour, they were finally in Rhode Island.<br>Madeline smiled at this and seemed to breathe easier as they got closer. She didn't need the map anymore as they entered her hometown. It was a friendly, small suburban place with happy looking houses and glimpses of rocky beaches everywhere you looked.  
>They were driving down a road, lined with dense plants and vines, that turned to dirt and opened up to a large field that held Madeline's home about a mile the distance.<br>It was a large white house that sat on the edge of a cliff, the beach not too far below with its crashing waves and warm sand.  
>Madeline was so glad to see her home, but her heart dropped when she saw the two familiar motorcycles and their riders blocking their path, stomping out whatever hope she had been left to hold onto with their heavy combat boots.<br>"Oh no," she said, the terror audible in her voice as she covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes widening in fear.  
>'<em>This can't be happening,<em>' she thought desperately.


	41. Fear Factor

"I'm guessing that's them," Connor said calmly.  
>Madeline nodded silently, finding that her voice had run away, panic spreading through her body. She had to concentrate on breathing as she found the normally easy task difficult to remember. Connor reached over and firmly held her knee, realizing she was nearly hyperventilating.<br>"Madeline," he said in a worried tone, not using his affectionate nickname for her, "you need to calm down."  
>His voice brought her out of paralysis and she looked away from the two figures in the distance that were nonchalantly waiting beside their monster motorcycles. The worry in Connor's dazzling blue eyes pulled Madeline back to reality. She blinked at him and reached down to her ankles, pulling her daggers out of their sheaths and opening the car door.<br>Without a hesitation, she began walking towards the two bikers and stopped with several yards separating them. Connor quickly came up beside Madeline, sword in hand, and looked at her. She had an expressionless face on and looked fiercely determined, but Connor knew she was scared. The men couldn't see, but Madeline's hands were holding onto her daggers with white knuckles to keep them from shaking. He wanted to comfort her but knew that wasn't an option at the moment.  
>"Can we help you?" Connor said smartly.<br>Two wickedly twisted grins spread across the scarred faces of the two large men as they straightened up from leaning against their mammoth bikes and removed their dark sunglasses. Connor and Madeline's eyes widened as they looked into theirs; they were all black and filled with menacing flames.  
>"Allow us to introduce ourselves," said one of them in a deep, gravelly voice. "I'm Deimos."<br>"And I'm Phobos. You may know our father-" began the other one.  
>"Ares," Madeline interrupted in a sure voice.<br>Phobos turned his mean eyes away from Connor and towards hers.  
>"Now, little girl," Phobos said, sounding amused, "it's not nice to interrupt."<br>"Neither is terrorizing people, but that doesn't stop you," Madeline replied.  
>Deimos smirked at her and said, "You've got a lot of spunk for being so small."<br>He took a step forward and Madeline averted her gaze to the ground with a scowl, having found looking into his eyes to be quite unpleasant.  
>"What are you here for?" Connor asked defiantly, stepping closer to Madeline.<br>"Oh," Phobos said in a mockingly surprised tone as he took a step forward, "that's right. None of you silly demigods know yet. Don't worry though, you will soon."  
>"See," Deimos continued, taking another step towards Connor and Madeline, "you two lovebirds are gonna cause quite some trouble for Olympus. You're brother and his girl, too. A war would be great, but it's not in the Gods' best interest at the moment."<br>Phobos chuckled and added, "We could let you carry on and risk you screwing things up, but taking you out now would be much easier."  
>Madeline and Connor exchanged quick glances, reassuring each other of what was happening and what they had to do. They readied their weapons to Deimos and Phobos.<br>"Cute," Deimos said, now only a few feet away from the couple. "With kids like you, it's easy. You're so _willing_ to die for each other, it's pathetic."  
>"You make it so easy to find your fears," Phobos taunted.<br>The two brothers closed the space between themselves and Madeline, taking each of her arms into their massive hands and hoisting her away from Connor as he collapsed to the ground.  
>In the quick moment before they grabbed her, Madeline managed to sink one of her daggers into Deimos's arm, drawing golden blood when he screamed and pulled it out, tossing it aside on the grass. She kicked and tried to yank herself away from them, but her efforts were futile. All she could do was watch Connor as he knelt on the ground. His back was turned to the laughing Gods and Madeline, so she couldn't see what he was doing. Connor was bent over something that he was holding in his lap, talking to it with obvious despair, his shoulders slumped. She called out to him over their cruel laughter, but he didn't seem to hear anything.<p>

The person he cradled in his lap was still and unmoving, without a pulse and without a heartbeat. As he looked at their face, it seemed to change, as if it couldn't make up its mind. After shimmering through his mother's face, then Travis's, even Katie's, it finally settled on his worst fear.  
>Connor held a lifeless Madeline in his lap, her dead body limp as he held her up to his chest. He let her fall gently to the grass and brushed aside the dark curls from her still face, so still it could've been a sculpture; just as beautiful and just as cold. Her hands, once so soft and warm, were now anything but.<br>"Madeline," he whispered into her ear, "please. Please, wake up."  
>Connor could feel his heart racing his chest, so unlike Madeline's nonexistent heartbeat, the loud pounding nearly drowning out the rest of the world. His eyes stung as he swallowed with his dry throat, his hands shaking as he squeezed hers. He put his ear to her chest again, like he had done many times, foolishly hoping to hear any sign of life and, again, was disappointed, his heart aching with sorrow. He kissed her forehead and held her still face, not sure what to expect. He wouldn't let himself think of a life without her as he stroked her soft hair, wishing for anything to happen in the painfully empty field.<br>He closed his eyes and held the lifeless body of the girl he loved.  
>In the silent field, Connor heard a distant sound, almost like a far away wind. He remembered the waves beyond the cliff, trying to place the noise, but realized the waves, too, were silent. Everything was silent beyond himself and Madeline. He opened his eyes and she was gone.<br>All at once, reality burst back into the suspiciously still field. Connor could hear the waves again, and the birds and the wind. He recognized the noise as Madeline's voice, calling out to him. Screaming his name.  
>"Connor!" she yelled, desperately trying to pull him out of his trance. She didn't know what was going on. She was terrified.<br>Connor stood up, dazed for a second before turning to Madeline and the two Gods that held her.  
>With a new-found ferocity, Connor charged and slashed at the enemy with the sword that he had almost forgotten was in his hand. With the one swing, Connor created a large gash across Phobos' chest, golden blood seeping through his dark shirt and soaking his leather jacket. He released Madeline and roared with outrage and pain. He began to shine a painfully bright light.<br>"Look away!" Connor warned.  
>Madeline did as he said and closed her eyes, turning her head.<br>A stiflingly hot wind burst through the field where Phobos had been standing the moment before. His departure explosion seemed to have burnt the car into a crisp, leaving behind a charred body of warped metal. Deimos angrily shoved Madeline to the ground and charged Connor, a menacing looking sword appearing in his hand. Connor met his attack and every one of his subsequent blows, blocking his slashes and jabs, managing to get in a few slices. Madeline, watching the horrible scene for a moment in shock, came back to her senses as she saw Connor being worn down by the powerful blows of the God. She picked up the dagger from the grass beside her and ran forward, plunging the twin daggers with all her might into the sides of Deimos' neck.  
>He screamed out in rage, a war cry to match his brother's, and burst into a bright light. Madeline and Connor barley had enough time to turn their eyes away as he revealed his true form, leaving the two in the field, finally alone. She slowly stood up from where she had been shoved onto her back by the force of the explosion.<br>Madeline ran forward and hugged Connor tightly, letting out a triumphant laugh as she threw her arms around his neck. She felt something warm spreading across her chest and pulled away from Connor's weak embrace.  
>She let out a heartwrenching sob as she saw the red liquid that soaked both their clothes and knew that it wasn't her blood.<p> 


	42. The Coffee Theory

The pain in Connor's body blazed furiously. He wanted to scream, but found himself too far away from consciousness to even move a finger. The agony burned bright in every part of his body and he felt like he was on fire. His throat was impossibly dry and every limb could've been made of stone from how heavy they felt. As it became too much to endure, whatever fragile thread that held him from drifting away was severed and Connor felt himself disappear into blackness.

A loud ringing sound pierced his mind and Connor was aware of his body again. He remembered the terrible pain from before and noticed it was gone. Something soft cradled his head and enclosed his body in a comfortable envelope of warmth.  
>As he fell back into full consciousness, Connor pried his eyes open and was confused at the bright room he was in.<br>The walls were a cheerful blue and the large windows were opened wide, letting in the fresh air and sunlight and the warm smell of the nearby ocean. Next to the bed on a small nightstand, there was a glass of water. Connor realized how thirsty he was and nearly swallowed the whole glass along with the refreshing drink. He took a deep breath and looked around the pretty room. The large bed he lied in was a large mix of cozy quilts, blankets, and many pillows. It was nearly impossible to make himself sit up and unbury himself from the wonderful bed onto the chilly wood floor. Across the room was a bookcase, filled with fat books and miscellaneous trinkets, and a comfy looking chair beside it with a book lying open on its arm. A desk was underneath the windows, looking out towards the ocean view. He walked over to it and lifted up a small picture frame that held the picture of a happy little girl and young man; Connor immediately remembered Madeline. He put down the picture and slowly walked into the hallway. After cautiously peeking his head into several empty rooms, he made his way down the stairs. As he reached the landing, he heard voices in the room beside him. Poking his head into the room quietly, he saw Madeline speaking to a girl who looked about the same age as her at the front door.  
>"-down by the old cinema. It'll be a total riot! You need to come," said the girl.<br>"I told you," Madeline said patiently, "now's not a good time. I'm just... busy."  
>The girl scoffed, shaking her head and replying, "You need to get out sometime, Madeline. Don't say I never tried."<br>"I would never," Madeline said. "Thank you, though."  
>The girl sighed disappointedly and turned around, waving over her shoulder.<br>"Bye," Madeline called after her, closing the door behind her as she turned around and walked into the kitchen. Connor smiled at the sight of her; she was wearing jean shorts and a big sweater with some environmentalist group's logo on the front. Even though she looked tired, Connor was glad to see her and could've sworn she was the most beautiful thing in the world, absolutely a sight for sore eyes. She paused for a moment before picking up a gold coin from the counter and turning it over in her fingers a few times. She sighed and let her shoulders slump.  
>"Hey," he said softly. Madeline jumped a little and turned around, relief washing over her tired face when she saw Connor.<br>"You're awake," she said, solace apparent in her voice.  
>"Yeah," he said, a worried look furrowing his brow as he walked closer to her. Brushing a curl behind her ear, Connor got a better look at the deep bruise that crossed her cheekbone.<br>"It's fine," she assured him, realizing what he was looking at.  
>She walked across the floor to the living room and sat down on one of the couches, Connor following her and sitting next to her.<br>"Why didn't you use Ambrosia?" he asked her in a confused tone, looking sadly at the painful looking bruise. It was a rainbow of colors against her caramel skin.  
>"There wasn't much left after Phobos and Deimos destroyed the car. You needed more than I did."<br>"But-" Connor began to argue.  
>"You had several broken ribs and a concussion," she said in a serious voice, pain showing in her eyes. "You were unconscious and bleeding to death. If I had used the last of our Ambrosia on a few bruises, you'd be dead." Her voice cracked on the last word and she looked away. Connor knew that she had been crying; her eyes were a little red and puffy. He realized that he had never actually seen her cry and hated that he hadn't been there to comfort her the one time she really needed him. Madeline held Connor's hand and let the idea of smiling cross her mind for the first time in days. She was so glad to feel him holding her hand back; he had been asleep for so long, so still and barely alive.<br>After swallowing and looking down at Madeline, he asked, "Did you get any sleep?"  
>She looked up at Connor and said sheepishly, "No. I couldn't when you were asleep."<br>"Don't do that to yourself on my account," he scolded her lightly, smiling at her and feeling awfully guilty.  
>The thought of leaving Madeline alone in a time like that made Connor's heart ache, a frown coming to his face.<br>"You could've slept forever and I would have stayed by your side," Madeline told him softly, looking into his blue eyes for the first time in days.  
>It felt like he <em>had<em> been asleep forever, and Madeline had hated every moment of it, but she was sure when she said it.  
>Connor looked like he wanted to say something, but instead just leaned forward and hugged her softly, resting his head on her shoulder and enjoying having her close. She smelled so familiarly of warm cocoa and felt wonderful to hold. Madeline rested her head against his chest and listened to the sound of his strong heartbeat. It had been so faint for the past few days until now that she hadn't known if she would ever really hear it again.<br>Suddenly, she pulled away and felt his chest with her hands.  
>"I was going to change your bandages soon," Madeline said, "but you woke up."<br>"Oh," Connor said, just now realizing the bandages that were wrapped around his torso beneath his shirt.  
>"Like I said, you were bleeding really bad."<br>Connor thought about it for a moment as Madeline got up from the couch and left the room.  
>"How long was I asleep?" he called after her.<br>She walked back into the room with a small container of medical supplies in her arms. She sat back down on the couch and placed them onto the low table in front of them.  
>"It's Monday. You were passed out for about 2 days."<br>"Oh," he said flatly. Looking at the med kit, he added, "I can do it myself, now that I'm awake."  
>Madeline smiled slightly and her eyes softened.<br>"The shower's upstairs," she told him.  
>Connor smiled back at her and gave her a kiss on the forehead as he stood up.<br>"Please," he said to her, "get some sleep."  
>Madeline watched him walk back up the stairs and breathed easier now that she knew he was okay.<p>

Connor stared at the bandages that wrapped around his sore chest. Some spots of the otherwise white wrappings were spotted with blood that had soaked through. He gingerly removed the wrapping and looked at the long slash that cut from his lower right abs to right over his heart. What should've been a gory mess had healed to the faint whisper of a scar that would've taken an ordinary person a lifetime to reach.  
>'<em>She saved my life<em>,' Connor thought to himself as he looked at the scar. If he turned away from the light, he could barely see it. He swallowed with his tight throat and looked away, turning on the shower and letting the comforting noise of running water drown his thoughts.

He walked into her bedroom, drying his hair with a towel, and found Madeline asleep in her bed. With her arms wrapped around her pillow and her legs pulled up to her side, she looked small. He walked over to where she lied and gently pulled a blanket over her. As Connor looked at her, he thought back to the picture of her as a smiling little girl. Then his thoughts snapped to her father. Being unconscious and bleeding to death was hardly a decent first impression. He decided it could wait. Madeline needed her rest.  
>Walking into the backyard, he searched and soon found what he was looking for. Pulling the hose out and turning the handle, a steady stream of water came out. Holding his thumb over the nozzle to create a cloud of mist, Connor moved the hose until he could see the fragmented lights of rainbow through the water vapor. It wasn't hard, the sun bright in the sky since it was only around 2 hours past noon. He thought the words:<br>'_Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering._'  
>Tossing a golden drachma into the mist, Connor said aloud, "Show me Chiro -no, Travis. Camp-Half Blood."<br>The image of the mist changed, shimmering to show Travis standing with their half-sister, Lucy.  
>"Connor!" Lucy exclaimed, roughly rotating Travis towards the Iris Message with her hands, as it had appeared behind his back.<br>"Dude!" Travis said, surprise on his face as he stepped towards the shimmering vision. "You're okay."  
>"Thanks to Madeline," Connor replied, a smile on his face. The smile sunk away as he thought about how he had gotten injured in the first place. There was a price on their heads.<br>"Chiron talked her through it," Travis said. The older Stoll brother dragged his hand over his face, sighing heavily. "You got seriously roughed up, man."  
>"So I've been told..." Connor replied, matching his brother's sigh.<br>"I mean," Lucy interjected, shaking her head, "Chiron was about ready to call your mom down for a funera-"  
>Travis threw her a stern look, causing her to put her hands up.<br>"Sorry," she finished. "Just saying."  
>Connor furrowed his brow, frowning.<br>"Right. Well, I was just calling to let you guys know I'm alright. _Not_ dead, and all. Still got all 10 fingers."  
>"Thanks," Travis said, a strange look in his eyes. "And try to make it back to Camp in one piece, okay? I'm sure you can manage. We'll talk then."<br>Connor nodded at his brother. That was a promise.  
>"Where is she, by the way?" Lucy asked, referring to Madeline.<br>"Sleeping," Connor answered. "She's pretty worn out."  
>"Yeah, I'm not surprised by that," his half-sister replied, scoffing. "You're lucky Madeline kept her wits."<br>"You got that right," Connor agreed. The image faltered for a quick instant, warning them to wrap things up. "We'll be back by tomorrow night," he finished.  
>"See you then," Travis nodded.<br>"Good luck," Lucy added quickly, just as the image faded away, leaving Connor alone holding out a running hose in front of himself. With a sigh, he turned the water spout off and headed back inside.

* * *

><p>Madeline stirred and muttered something unintelligible before slowly opening her eyes. She sensed someone near her.<br>"Hey," she said with a smile, enjoying waking up to Connor. He was sitting beside her in bed, a book in his hands.  
>"Hey," he replied, looking over at her. Glancing at the clock on her nightstand, Madeline saw that it was 7 o'clock.<br>"You could've woken me up earlier," she said, pushing herself up from underneath the covers.  
>"I didn't mind," Connor replied, closing the book in his hands and setting it down on the blankets in between them.<br>With a peculiar smirk on her face, Madeline asked, "You were reading _Wuthering Heights_?"  
>Connor shrugged. "I saw you reading it earlier and didn't have anything better to do. I mean, I tried cooking, but I <em>may<em> have started a minor kitchen fire, so I dropped that. Anyway, Hindley is kind of an-"  
>"Asshole," Madeline interrupted, blinking incredulously. "I know. You mentioned a <em>fire-<em>"  
>"I said minor," he replied, holding his hands up. "It's all good now, no need to worry."<br>Madeline raised her eyebrows at him and laughed, a smile cracking on her face of disbelief.  
>"So…who was that girl earlier?"<br>Madeline sat up against her headboard, pulling the baggy sleeves of her sweatshirt around her.  
>"She's… a friend. Kinda. More of an acquaintance. We don't really hang out, but she's nice enough to me. Or at least doesn't try to make my life a living hell in this town. She was just telling me about some party that's happening tonight down at the, uh, old movie theater."<br>"We should go," Connor suggested eagerly, reminding her of an excited puppy. "Something to take our minds off of…" he let his thought trail off at the end.  
>"I'm not sure," Madeline replied hesitantly. "It might not be a good idea."<br>"Oh," Connor protested, "c'mon. It'll be a '_total riot_'!" he mocked in a girly voice, imitating the girl.  
>"Julia doesn't talk like that," she defended, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Besides, I already talked to Chiron and he wants us back as soon as possible."<br>"Oh," he said again, much less spirited this time.  
>"It'll be alright, once we're back at camp," Madeline soothed him, putting her soft hand on his arm as she saw his upset face. She gave him a kiss on the lips. He kissed her back softly and they enjoyed the feeling of being together again for another moment.<br>"Mads?" he asked cautiously, leaning away from their kiss.  
>"Hmm?" she asked softly, her lips against his as she spoke.<br>"What about your dad?"  
>A heavy gloom set over Madeline as leaned back she looked away. Suddenly she stood out of bed and walked over to her dresser. Pulling out a hairband, she pulled her long curls into a ponytail distractedly. Rearranging some of the trinkets on the bureau, she didn't seem to have heard his question. Connor frowned, lightly furrowing his brow. He stood from her bed and walked towards her.<br>"Mads," he repeated, more gently this time.  
>"I don't know," she said in a calm voice, not looking at him.<br>"What?" he asked her in a confused tone. "He wrote you that letter though. That's the whole reason we-"  
>"The newspapers were piling up out front when we got here," she interrupted him, speaking frantically. "And the coffee pot was empty. I know that sounds a little strange, but he always makes coffee. Always. I don't know where he is, but he's not here. And he hasn't been for a while."<br>Madeline turned away, folding her arms across her chest. Connor wished he could erase the look of distress in her eyes, but found himself speechless. Instead, he stepped forward and hugged her, not knowing how else he could help.


	43. Sea Side Greetings

"He's definitely gone," Madeline said finally, pulling away from Connor. He followed her as she left her bedroom and walked down the stairs.  
>She stopped by the bay window that looked out to the field in front of her house and sat down on the sill, moving the curtain aside to peek outside. With a sigh, she pulled the curtain closed and fixed her gaze on a spot in the distance. Connor tried to read her expression, but she had gone stony again. By now he knew that she only did this when she was deeply upset. He reached out and lightly touched her shoulder, feeling her tense body relax underneath her sweater. When she didn't look at him, her expression still distant, Connor stepped forward and lightly wrapped his arms around her.<br>Madeline breathed in his comforting smell, soap and the faint hint of strawberries that lingered on him, and wrapped her arms around his middle as she burrowed into his embrace, her head resting on his stomach.  
>"What about the letter, then?" Connor asked, his fingers absentmindedly stroking her shoulder.<br>Madeline shrugged sullenly and snuggled closer to Connor.  
>"The best I can figure is that..." she paused for a moment and then scoffed out of aggravation, burying her face into his shirt. "I have no idea!" she finished, exasperated.<br>Connor rubbed her back and said, "It'll be alright."  
>"Something's going on, and we have no idea what " she said, deep in thought. He could feel her fists gripping the back of his shirt.<br>After a moment of silence, she said hopefully, "Let's go outside."  
>Connor reluctantly released her from their embrace and back away as she walked past him. The sun was just starting to set, casting a dimmed light on the beach, and the wispy grass felt cool beneath their feet.<br>"C'mon," Madeline said to him, starting towards the edge of the cliff on which her house sat. She stopped at a space between two large rocks and motioned for Connor to follow. When he came up beside her, he saw that there was a narrow path where the rocks were cleared away, leaving a smooth strip of sand down to the beach below. Madeline held her arms out for balance as they jogged down the steep path.  
>When they got down to the beach, there was no one else in sight.<br>"People don't come to this part of the beach. It's hard to get to unless you go through our special pathway. The cliff goes on for miles in each direction, so it's pretty much ours."  
>"Nice," Connor commented, looking out to the crashing waves as they turned white at the tips and fell back down into the sand to form new ones. "I didn't know I was dating a rich girl."<br>"Yeah," Madeline answered, a hint of sadness in her voice. She didn't laugh at his attempt at a joke.  
>She walked closer to the waves, right up to where they couldn't reach any further, and then sat down in the cool sand. Connor observed her sad figure, the sunset silhouetting her outline, before walking forward and sitting in the sand next to her, wrapping his arm around her waist. Madeline leaned her head against his shoulder, closing her eyes and feeling all her exhaustion and tiredness crash down on her. Without Connor's arms to hold her, she felt like she could disappear into all that was happening in her life, fade into the sand. Connor looked down at Madeline. She was so worried, and Connor felt helpless that he couldn't do anything about it.<br>"It'll be alright," Connor told her again. It felt strange to be the optimistic one for once, since Madeline was usually so bright, but he wasn't surprised by her dim mood. She was always so strong for everyone else, always smiling and radiating hope and positivity; it was her turn for someone else to be strong for her, and Connor was glad to be that person for her.  
>"It's just sucks," she said dully.<br>Connor felt himself smirk a little at her comment and replied, "Yeah, it does suck being a demigod. But if we don't do it, who will?"  
>Madeline thought about that for a moment before saying, "I'd choose being a demigod over being a regular person any day if it meant saving someone else the burden."<br>As Connor heard her say this, he felt a swell of pride inside his chest.  
>"I think he's okay," she said in a distant voice.<br>"Your dad?"  
>"Yeah. I know something's wrong," she explained, "but I feel like he's okay. Or at least not in danger. I don't know, maybe I'm just going insane and something terrible has happened. But I find it hard to believe that he let himself get into anything. He's a smart man."<br>Connor almost wished he could've met Madeline's father, the way she talked about him, but knew now wasn't the right time anyway.  
>Madeline stood up from the sand abruptly, pausing only to brush the land from her bottom.<br>"If any God is listening right now," she shouted into the sky, startling Connor a bit, "feel free to care and actually DO something!"  
>Connor looked at her with sadness in his eyes. Madeline picked up a rock by her feet and flung it with all her might into the lively waves, watching it disappear into the crashing waters.<br>Madeline stood there for a moment, still as a morbid statue, before sinking down into the sand next to Connor again.  
>She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them. Connor leaned forward and wrapped his arms around her, his head resting on the back of her shoulder. He held her dainty figure against his and felt how fragile she seemed, but knew she was anything but. He lifted his head up and placed a gentle kiss on her shoulder, feeling that the best thing he could do for her was just be there for her.<br>A gentle breeze danced across the beach, bringing a sudden warmth with it. They both looked up at its curious presence and found themselves looking at a beautiful woman standing in front of them.  
>Madeline's head perked up and she felt suddenly very alert.<br>"Hello," the woman said kindly, not moving from her spot a few feet away from them, the waves seeming to move around her feet and somehow not touch her as they flowed back and forth.  
>"Hi," Madeline said softly.<br>Connor only stared at the woman and said nothing, feeling the power that radiated from her. He looked at her, and seeing how familiar her dark, warm eyes were, realized who she was.  
>"Lady Demeter," Connor said respectfully, standing up and pulling Madeline up with him by the hand, seeing that she was almost too shocked to comprehend what was going on.<br>Madeline touched the base of her neck where her golden necklace lied beneath her sweater. She opened her mouth to speak, to say anything, but no sound came out.  
>Demeter smiled warmly at Madeline, the same smile that Madeline had so often graced the people around her with. She had, in fact, inherited it from her mother.<br>"Madeline," Demeter said gently, looking at her with a relieved expression.  
>"Mom?" she responded uncertainly, looking at the Goddess that stood before them and feeling uncertain about calling a stranger her mother. She may have given birth to her, but she didn't feel like anything at all to Madeline.<br>"Yes," Demeter said, stepping forward. "I came to warn you."  
>Any potential that the meeting had had a moment before to be pleasant vanished when she said this.<br>"About what?" Madeline asked, still holding Connor's hand for reassurance.  
>Demeter glanced at Connor for the first time before saying, "Fate has brought us something quite large to handle. Something that could very possibly mean war has begun, and you, my dear daughter-"<br>Madeline let out a small breath and turned her head away, not looking at Demeter as she spoke.  
>"I'm sorry," Madeline apologized quietly, still not looking at the Goddess. She felt it unnatural for the stranger before them to be calling her "dear daughter."<br>"This includes the both of you," Demeter continued calmly, moving on from the interruption. "You see, I had to call you down here because your camp is being watched, and I'm not supposed to interfere. Zeus forbids it."  
>"You called us down here?" Madeline asked. "What about my dad?"<br>"Your father is fine," Demeter answered. "He is simply off on another research trip, beyond contact from any gods that may want to involve him in any of this. I intercepted his letter to you where he told you of his travel and instead asked you to come here. I promise you he _is_ safe. I made sure of it."  
>Madeline said nothing to this and only nodded to show her understanding.<br>"What you must know is that there is a very possible war on the horizon, between the Gods. Not too long ago, a mortal's death was held responsible to Aphrodite. He was the lover of Nemesis, Goddess of revenge. Because of this, Nemesis has acquired a renewed hatred for the major Gods, feeling that we should all be punished for our power and false sense of entitlement, as I believe she put it. She is convinced that we are all the enemy and is putting these beliefs in the minds of many of the other Gods, building an army against us. The only way to keep the peace would be to get Nemesis to forgive and see the error in her ways."  
>Madeline and Connor stared wide eyed at Demeter and the massive news she brought with her.<br>"Well, _did_ Aphrodite kill him?" Madeline asked cautiously.  
>Demeter raised a challenging eyebrow at the question and replied, "The details are complicated. Nemesis has never had good taste in men."<br>"And how are we part of this mess?" Connor asked.  
>"The Fates tell that you are meant to be part of it, somehow. The only reason I know any of this is because, being one of the eldest Goddesses, I learn more than I should. I wish I knew more, what kind of danger you are truly in, but this is all I have to offer you."<br>Connor looked at Madeline's still face and said, "Thank you, Lady Demeter. But is there really nothing else you can tell us?"  
>Demeter looked away from Madeline to him with a much colder look, not nearly as loving as the gaze she reserved for her daughter.<br>"You doubt me, _Connor Stoll?_"  
>"No," Connor replied quickly. "Of course not."<br>"Do _not_ think I approve of your relationship with my daughter. Yours and your brothers' too, with my daughters. The only reason I tolerate you is because, for some strange reason, my daughter has taking a liking to you, son of Hermes."  
>Connor and Madeline both blushed deeply at her statement.<br>"Madeline," Demeter continued less sternly, "may I please talk with you in private?"  
>Madeline knew she very meagerly had a choice in resisting a Goddess, especially her mother, and politely nodded her head. She let go of Connor's hand and threw him a nervous glance over her shoulder as she walked away to join Demeter.<br>Connor watched, equally as nervous, as Madeline stood with her mother, their voices drowned out by the ocean's.

"It's been a long time," Demeter said, smiling at Madeline as if anything about this encounter was pleasant.  
>"Pretty much never," Madeline corrected flatly.<br>She didn't even have any memory of having any kind of mother. It had always been her father and the rest of their massive extended family. Out of all her uncles, aunts, cousins, and everyone else in her life, she had never had a mother.  
>"Please understand-" Demeter began patiently.<br>"I'm sorry to interrupt, again," Madeline said awkwardly, but surely, "but I want you to know that I don't hate you. I don't resent you for not being there. My dad was enough for me and he's a great father. I promise you I don't hate you or have any negative feelings for you. I just don't have any good feelings for you either. I know you're my mother, but we don't actually have any relationship. I mean no disrespect when I say that I don't love you and hope you don't feel obliged to love me either. I know the circumstances are unique, you being a Goddess and me simply being the offspring from an affair with a mortal and all, but that doesn't change that you are pretty much a stranger to me. "  
>They stared at each other in silence before Madeline looked down at the sand, tears having formed in her eyes. She locked her jaw, keeping a still face.<br>Madeline found it a little unsettling to look into the eyes of the woman before her and find them so familiar. She couldn't bring herself to see this woman as her mother, a woman whom she had never met before in her life beyond infancy.  
>"I'm so sorry you feel this way, Madeline," Demeter said sadly. "But I want you to know that I love you dearly. You are my daughter and that will never change, no matter what happens with this this twist in fate. I know you've not been able to see it, but I've been watching you grow up all these years, wishing I could be with you. But what you must understand is that you are becoming an interesting subject to many gods, and much less amenable beings, as well. I wish you didn't need to be a part of this, but the Moirai have already decided to weave you into this destiny. I just don't quite know what the grand scheme is. I'm scared too, but I believe you can do it." She paused for a moment before adding, "And for what it's worth, I thought your science experiment was brilliant."<br>Madeline looked at Demeter with a new look of surprise, stinging tears threatening to spill out of her eyes. Demeter stepped forward and hugged Madeline tenderly for a moment. She stepped back and brushed a curl behind Madeline's ear, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before disappearing into a fresh breeze, gone when Madeline blinked.  
>She didn't realize she had been standing so still for so long until Connor appeared beside her and put his hand gently on her shoulder, bringing her back from her daze.<br>Madeline turned around, tears streaming down her face.  
>In 4th grade, she had done an experiment for her school's science fair. She had tested the theory of how plants would grow in the complete opposite of their recommended growing conditions. Of course, every plant flourished in Madeline's care, and her experiment had been disqualified and written off as invalid. As a little girl, she had been sad and didn't understand, since she didn't intentionally cheat. She hadn't even known who she was. Only now did she realize that the experiment really wasn't honest, since it was conducted by a daughter of Demeter.<br>Connor didn't say anything and just held Madeline close as she wrapped her arms around him and tried to stop the tears. She didn't make a sound as she listened to the soothing sound of his heartbeat and tried to forget everything. Connor held her with his strong arms and wished he could make her pain go away like she had done his.  
>Much too soon, Madeline let go of him and looked out to the ocean again. Connor looked at her wistful face and knew no matter sad she was now, she would survive, because he knew how strong Madeline was and that she would be able to see the light in everything, no matter how small and meager it was. Above all, he knew Madeline was <em>his<em> light in the darkness. Connor was worried about the ominous danger looming in the distance, but he knew it couldn't be that bad with Madeline by his side. If they were together, it had to be okay.  
>"Let's go inside," Madeline said softly as a salty ocean breeze blew by. "It's getting cold."<br>Connor watched her for a moment before following her as she turned to go back up the cliff-side path.

* * *

><p>They sat on the couch, laughing at the comedy movie they were watching on the television screen in the living room. Their empty plates of the pizza they had had delivered sat on the coffee table in front of them. When the two had gotten back inside from the beach, as the sun sunk below the horizon, they found their backpacks, as good as new, with all their clothes and money in them, as if they hadn't been burnt to a crisp by two temperamental gods. Connor changed out of the old clothes of Madeline's father that he had been wearing and into his own familiar clothing.<br>"No!" Madeline yelled at the screen, referring to the drunk teenagers in the movie. "You always stay away from tattoo shops when you're wasted!"  
>Connor laughed at the wise statement and enjoyed Madeline smiling again.<br>"At least the next day when you wake up and find a new tattoo, you _know_ you had a good time," Connor joked. "That's a sign of a good party."  
>Madeline chuckled at this and glanced at him. She knew they were in a terrible situation, but they could still enjoy a last night together before returning to Camp to face "fate" and everything else that wanted to see them fall.<br>"Hey," she said before she could changed her mind, "we could still make it to the party."  
>Connor looked away from the TV, a smirk still on his face.<br>"What?" he asked, sounding amused.  
>"We could still make it to the party. I mean, it only started less than an hour ago and it's supposed to be an all-nighter, so..."<br>"I thought you didn't want to go," Connor replied teasingly.  
>Madeline shrugged and said, "It could be fun."<br>Connor raised an eyebrow and said with a grin, "Okay then. Let's go to a party."


	44. Stabs and Stabs of Fun

Madeline hurried down the stairs and joined a waiting Connor in the kitchen. She had decided if they were going to a party, she had to be a least change out of her sweatshirt and shorts into something slightly more socially acceptable. Madeline wore her hair down, letting her long, dark curls hang loose down her back, along with jean shorts and a fitted t-shirt with a bright, abstract design in the middle. Connor stayed in his jeans and t-shirt, but Madeline didn't think anything of it since he looked party ready regardless, seeing as he had the infamous mischievous Stoll sparkle in his eyes and an everlasting smirk on his handsome face.  
>"You look great," Connor complimented her, leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest. She just smiled and looked away, walking towards her bag on the kitchen counter. Madeline pulled out her twin daggers and slipped them into the sheath she had at her waist, hidden beneath her shorts. Connor came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, kissing her on her cheek. He was glad he could do that now without hurting her, since the ambrosia from Demeter healed the bruise from Phobos and Deimos and any other injuries she had from their battle.<br>He was still unhappy that she hadn't used any of their ambrosia on herself, but he wasn't pursuing the matter. Madeline was too stubborn about it to listen anyway.  
>Connor moved his lips down and kissed her neck, making Madeline laugh and bob away. He knew she was nearly too ticklish to bear his kisses. Connor caught her around her waist again and spun her around, lifting her up onto the kitchen counter. She let out a little surprised gasp that made him smile into their kiss as he felt her soft lips. Connor pushed her bag out of the way to make room for his hands as he placed them on either side of her and enjoyed their kiss.<br>Suddenly, Madeline pulled away from Connor and curiously turned her head to where her bag fell to the floor. She slid her hands away from where they rested on his chest and felt her sheath, assuring herself that her daggers weren't in her bag anymore. She was sure she didn't have anything else heavy in her bag, the golden drachmas up in her room along with the nectar and ambrosia, so she wondered what she had heard when the bag fell to the floor.  
>Connor reluctantly stepped away and let her hop off the counter when she lightly pushed him away and walked over to her bag.<br>"What?" he asked, a hint of disappointed whining in his tone as she lifted it up onto the counter and began digging through her belongings.  
>She hadn't emptied it out since they arrived,having been busy with other things, and saw nothing but her clothes. Then, at the bottom of the bag, Madeline felt her hand brush against something hard. She paused before grasping the smooth object and pulling it out of from her things.<br>"I don't-" she began, a confused look on her face. "This isn't mine."  
>"What is it?" he inquired.<br>Madeline looked at the glass bottle she held in her hand and the shimmering, iridescent liquid it held. She pulled off the small cap and recognized what it was.  
>"I think it's perfume," she answered him. "But I know this isn't mine."<br>"I've never seen it before," Connor replied, holding his palms up.  
>She lifted it up to her nose and cautiously sniffed it.<br>"It smells...like a garden." she said.  
>Connor looked at her skeptically and stepped forward, taking the perfume bottle from her and sniffing the fragrance. He smiled a little to himself as he realized she was right; it did smell like a garden. But he was smiling because it smelled just like Madeline did after she cared for the gardens around Camp; the same light, familiar scent he had come to love.<br>"Maybe it's from Demeter," Connor said.  
>She sprayed it once into the air to get a better smell of it.<br>The two weren't sure if they were imagining it when the sink faucet disappeared before their eyes. Madeline reached her hand out and felt the metal faucet, but it looked like she was touching nothing but air.  
>"I think you're right," she said, a hint of disbelief in her voice.<br>They both looked at the spot where the faucet was. It was like looking at a mirage, small bits of it shimmering back into sight, but only if they focused very intently.  
>Madeline quickly put the bottle down on the counter and stepped away from it.<br>"If I wear the perfume my mom gave me," Madeline reasoned out loud, "I turn invisible."  
>"Well," Connor said jokingly, "normal perfume is boring anyway."<br>"We should get going," Madeline said after a moment as she replaced the cap on the perfume and slipped it into the small shoulder bag she was bringing to the party.

* * *

><p>Connor and Madeline stood in front of the massive building.<br>Despite the ivy growing up the sides of the grand brick walls, barely any wall left visible, and the dirty, old windows, the place couldn't have been more live. Bright, colorful light flashed through every opening there was and the loud music made the ground shake, almost like a rhythmic heartbeat.  
>"Wow," Connor said approvingly over all the noise. "Rich kids sure know how to party."<br>"Ha!" Madeline replied with a smirk. "This is what happens when they're locked up all year."  
>They walked forward through the crowd of teenagers with red cups in hand and entered the abandoned movie theater.<br>Inside, the strobe lights made it seem like they were in a flashing, black and white psychedelic dream. Madeline, making her way through the throng of dancing teenagers, pulled Connor behind her until they found a spot in the large main room that had once been a lobby and was now converted into a dance floor. Together, they danced to a few fun songs that the DJ was pouring through giant speakers around the building. They laughed at their ridiculous dancing and swayed to the energetic music together, throwing in a few twirls and dips here and there. The amusing part of being in a sea of people was that even though you're skin to skin with everyone, nobody could think back and say what their neighbor was doing.  
>Sometime later, a girl came up behind Madeline and touched her arm to get her attention.<br>"You came!" Julia yelled over the roar of the party.  
>"Yeah!" Madeline replied. " I changed my mind!"<br>Julia smiled at her and then glanced flirtatiously at Connor behind her.  
>"Hi! I'm Julia!"<br>"Connor!" he introduced himself. He stepped forward and wrapped an arm around Madeline's waist. Julia took the hint and smiled knowingly at a smirking Madeline.  
>"How'd you guys get together? All the time I've know Madeline, she's been a quiet one!"<br>"Summer camp," Madeline said, shrugging casually.  
>"I'd like to go to <em>that<em> camp," Julia joked, raising an eyebrow.  
>Madeline and Connor laughed a little uncomfortably, but their tension wasn't noticeable.<br>"I'll see you around," Julia called as she disappeared into the crowd.  
>After she was gone, Connor smirked down at Madeline.<br>"She's nice," he said, starting to move through the crowd. "C'mon!"  
>Madeline didn't ask where they were going as he led them through the dancing teenagers. They came to a grand stairway that led to second balcony level of the theater and weaved their way to the top. Once up there, Madeline glanced back and was amazed at the scene below. The sight of the raging party seemed unreal.<br>Connor, seeming to look for something, kept walking through the crowds of teenagers until they came to a crowd circled around a table.  
>"Beer pong! he explained. Madeline raising an eyebrow at him but didn't protest.<br>They made it to the front of the table where several jocks were obviously monopolizing the game.  
>"Mind if I join?" Connor said, looking at the two boys.<p>

After a few minutes, the crowd was drunkenly cheering every time Connor landed a small ball in a red cup. He was only enjoying a little bit of the beer, getting drunk off of the crowd's praise rather than the alcohol. One swig of the bitter drink was enough for Madeline to decide she wasn't getting drunk that night.  
>"Besides," Connor teased her, "you're probably a lightweight."<br>"Let's not find out tonight," she replied.  
>Soon, the crowd was growing around Connor and his winning streak against the big jocks, who seemed unhappy about some new kid strolling in and stealing their thunder. Madeline could tell he was savoring the attention and let him enjoy it. She also noticed some mean looking girls in short, tight dresses and fierce make-up become interested in Connor. She smiled kindly at them from across the crowd and they grinned menacingly, as if she was something to eat.<br>One of them winked at her, and Madeline's heart jumped when her eyes flashed red for a moment. She didn't let her alarm show in her face and pretended she didn't notice, but Madeline was very aware of her racing heartbeat. She went on her tiptoes and touched Connor's arm that was raised in a victorious cheer, pulling away from his celebration.  
>"Don't look!" Madeline said with a plastered smile in a fake amused tone, hoping not to draw the girls' attention, "but we have some inhuman guests!"<br>She pulled away, still smiling, but Connor could see the alarm in her eyes. He took the hint and didn't let his face show any distress, his cocky smile only faltering for a moment.  
>He leaned down and said into her ear, "Be ready to run!"<br>Connor turned around and got the attention of one of the tough looking boys that he had been challenging all night.  
>"What do you want?" the guy asked arrogantly, a cocky smirk on his face.<br>"Sorry, dude," Connor said.  
>He swung his fist and it met the unsuspecting guy's face -hard- making him stagger backwards. The boy swung back, but Connor dodged his clumsy punch and pushed him back, knocking him over into his friends.<br>Before anyone realized what was happening, a full on mosh pit had formed, targetless fists swinging and drunk, hormonal teenagers shouting in confused rage. Madeline and Connor bobbing and weaving themselves out of the mess into safety, managing to avoid any harm.  
>They looked back and were glad to see their admirers had gotten lost in the fight.<br>While Connor started to make his way to the stairs again, Madeline changed their course and led them to the DJ. She whispered something Connor couldn't hear into the boy's ear and grabbed the microphone politely from his hand. The music stopped suddenly, receiving a large cry of protest from all the teenagers in the theater-turned-club.  
>"Free booze down by the lake!" Madeline yelled into the mic, sounding convincingly drunk. Her announcement received a deafening cheer from the teenagers. The massive crowds began pouring out of the abandoned movie theater, the party quickly migrating elsewhere, just as Madeline had hoped.<br>"Drunk teenagers are much easier to convince than I thought," Madeline said to an amused Connor.  
>He smiled apraisingly at her and then said, "Let's go!"<br>They blended into the surging crowd again, making their way down the stairs.  
>Once downstairs again, Madeline pulled them towards the empty snack bar. She jumped over the counter, followed by Connor, and ducked down to where they couldn't be seen.<br>"They're not gonna leave," Madeline said, referring to their unwanted guests.  
>Connor pulled out a hidden sword from his side and replied, "We can wait for them."<p>

Soon, the theater was dead again, other than the few teenagers who had managed to get drunk enough to pass out before the night was over.  
>Madeline and Connor left their cover behind the snack bar and made their way to the middle of the lobby. The theater's party lighting had been replaced by its normal lighting, revealing the state of the abandoned building. The place was littered with party debris and red cups, the sign of a good social gathering.<br>"You can come out now!" Connor called out into the silence.  
>They looked around for a moment before their two acquaintances appeared at the top of the stairs.<br>"Well hello there," the blonde one said, revealing a killer smile as they descended to join Connor and Madeline.  
>They both held long, metal spears in their manicured hands.<br>"We knew we smelled some half-bloods," said the redhead.  
>"I knew I spotted some skanks," Madeline mocked, holding her daggers in her hands.<br>The smirks left their faces, replaced by mean scowls.  
>"Why don't you just leave us your boy-toy," the blonde one cooed. "We prefer handsome boys over bitchy girls."<br>"Or," Connor replied charmingly, "we could get rid of two leaches and enjoy the rest of our night."  
>"But we wanna enjoy our night too," the redhead pouted seductively. "We could have so much fun together."<br>The two girls hissed, revealing their deadly sharp fangs, and charged.  
>In an instant, they changed from their attractive forms into white-skinned, red-eyed, flaming-haired monsters. Beneath their miniskirts were one hairy, donkey leg and one solid, celestial bronze leg.<br>Connor and Madeline met their attack, each taking on their own opponent.  
>"Empousai!" Connor called out to Madeline.<br>"Good," the blonde one called back teasingly. "Smart _and_ handsome!"  
>She and Connor were battling fiercely. Connor pushed her back, his blows stronger than hers, until he finally managed to stab her through her stomach. With a terrible, high-pitched scream, she exploded into a pile of golden dust.<br>Immediately, Connor turned to where Madeline had been battling the redheaded empousa.  
>He was confused to not see Madeline, but then he remembered the perfume. The empousa was equally as confused, but she quickly got over it and turned on Connor.<br>After a few rough swings of their weapons, Connor swung his sword and knocked her spear out of her hand, sending it sliding across the room. The empousa hissed at Connor and pulled out a small dagger from her waist. It was obviously coated in something lethal, the blade smoking with some sort of poison.  
>Before Connor could react, she threw the dagger.<br>He felt himself be pushed to the ground, the breath being knocked from his lungs. Madeline appeared before his eyes, laying beside him on the ground. She threw one of her daggers with deadly aim, the bronze blade sinking into the empousa's throat.  
>With a shriek to match her partner's, she exploded into a pile of golden dust. Connor and Madeline laid on the ground, breathing heavy, before standing up and surveying he room.<br>The victorious grin on Connor's face dissapeared when he saw Madeline holding herself.  
>"Oh no," he said, moving quickly to her side.<br>"No, it's fine," Madeline said in a pained voice, not looking at him.  
>She was holding the hilt of the empousa's dagger tightly with one hand, its poisoned blade buried in her forearm.<br>"I just need to pull it out," she said nervously, trying to stay calm. "Quick like a band-aid, right?"  
>Connor stared at her for a moment before nodding.<br>Madeline nodded back at him and prepared herself. She looked down at her arm and the blade, taking a deep breath. She looked away and clenched her eyes shut tightly, ripping the blade from her flesh with a stiffled cry of unbelievable pain. She breathed heavily as she held back the tears of the pain that was spreading through her arm.  
>With an angry huff, she threw the dagger across the room with her good arm, its sharp blade piercing the wall.<br>Connor stepped forward and looked at her pained expression as she held her arm.  
>"We have to get back," he told her.<br>Madeline nodded at him, holding her arm tightly to her chest. She steadied her breathing and began walking forward with a strong walk.  
>They had walked to the theater, since they didn't have a car. At the time, it had been a nice walk together, laughing and joking, but now Connor was terrified of the long walk.<br>As they reached the road, Madeline staggered a little bit. Connor thought about the poison as he caught her. He knew she was in pain and was putting on a brave face for his sake, but he didn't know if that was enough for her to make it home.  
>"I'll be fine," she told him a strained voice, "we just need to make it back... back to my house."<br>By now, her shirt was stained with her bright red blood. Connor reached down as they sped forward and tore a strip of his shirt, pulling away a long bandage of fabric. He took her bleeding arm and tightly tied the bandage above the gash as a makeshift tourniquet.  
>Madeline stared at the dark road ahead and felt her breathing start to slow and become shallow. Her eyes couldn't seem to focus on anything around her. She looked up and saw the stars start to blur from her vision.<br>The next moment, Madeline felt herself being lifted from the pavement by strong arms and gentle hands that she recognized as Connor's.  
>"Stay awake," he told her, looking down at her with deep concern as they marched forward.<br>"I will," she promised him in a quiet voice. She forced herself to take deep breaths and keep walking as she wrapped her good arm around Connor's shoulders for support. He was holding her up by her waist and keeping her from falling again. He was worried and had to force himself to stay focused. His mind kept wandering to the thought of the poison that was coursing through her body.  
>She was being stubborn and insisted on walking, saying she was fine whenever she stumbled. But after a few more staggered steps from her, he ignored her protest and swept Madeline up into his arms.<br>She let out a pained cry as he adjusted his hold, his arms underneath her knees and around her back.  
>"I'm sorry," Connor told her, the guilt evident in his voice as he jogged forward. He wished he could be more gentle, but they had to move fast.<br>"It's okay," she told him gently, closing her heavy eyes.  
>"Stay awake, Madeline. You need to stay awake."<br>Madeline nodded and took a shallow breath, her arm now completely numb. She could no longer feel her legs either.  
>She opened her eyes and looked up at Connor's face. It was the only thing she could see clearly, all the trees and stars above them warped and fading. She had to focus on breathing, her body seeming to forget how to do the once simple task.<br>Connor moved as quickly as he could .  
>The sight of her house was one of the most relieving things he'd ever experienced.<br>Madeline kept feeling herself slipping in and out of consciousness. The next thing she was aware of was the bright light of her living room.  
>"Bathroom," Madeline told him quietly.<br>She tried to walk as he carried her forward, but she could barely tell which direction was up. The entire house was spinning as they moved, as if they were in a wicked carnival funhouse.  
>Madeline reached out with her good arm when they reached the bathroom, not sure how long it had taken them to reach it.<br>In the light of the bathroom, Connor saw the wound clearly for the first time. All around the gash, the usually invisible veins had turned a horrifying black and seemed to be spreading across her arm, towards her heart.  
>"My dagger," she said in a hoarse voice.<br>Connor hesitated for a moment, not sure what she was thinking, but then agreed and trusted Madeline's judgment, even in her tormented state.  
>Madeline leaned against the cold sink and paused for a moment, gathering all the focus she had left, and position the tip of the blade against her wound.<br>Biting her lip to hold back the pain, she drew the blade horizontally across her wound, creating several new, bleeding gashes.  
>"I have to bleed out the poison," Madeline told a startled Connor, remembering back to her lessons from the Apollo children at Camp Half-Blood.<br>The place that had become a second home to her felt so distant now, after only a few days away.  
>Connor dashed out of the room, leaving Madeline alone in the bathroom, painting the sink red with her blood.<br>At first, what came out of her arm had been a sickly green-tinted blood that looked terribly like death.  
>He returned a short moment later with the nectar and ambrosia from her bedroom. Madeline took a square of ambrosia from his hand and placed it in her mouth, finding the small pleasure very out of place in the middle of all her pain. She took the canteen of nectar from him and poured a small dribble of the golden liquid onto her wounds, feeling immediate pain and great relief at the same time.<br>Her body began to get very warm and she knew she had to be careful with how much of the Gods' delicacies she took into herself unless she wanted to burn away to nothing.  
>Madeline closed her eyes and rested her tired head against the cool wall. She was regaining strength in her legs and stood up, no longer needing to lean against the sink. Connor turned on the water and let it wash the blood away from both her arm and the once-white sink.<br>"Can you go get the box of medical supplies?" Madeline asked Connor in a small voice.  
>He nodded at her with and touched her good shoulder gently before leaving the bathroom again.<br>Madeline took the opportunity to let a few tears and a sob she had been holding back escape her. She took a deep breath and wiped away the tears with a clean spot on her blood stained shirt.  
>Connor returned with the medical supplies and placed the box on the edge of the sink. Madeline smiled weakly at him and began untying the knot of the fabric he had tied onto her arm. Seeing that she was struggling to untie it with just her good arm, Connor pushed her hand away and untied the knot for her. He pulled away the bloody fabric and tossed it into the trash. His palms and fingers were painted with her blood.<br>"Could you thread a needle for me?" Madeline asked, her voice steady this time. Connor did what she asked and looked at her with worry as she took it from him with her hand.  
>"I can do it," she assured him a small smirk, seeing the look of concern on his face. "You don't have to stay for this part. I'd actually prefer if you didn't."<br>"Are you sure?" he asked her, reluctant to leave her so soon.  
>"I'll manage. "<br>He looked at her for a moment and gave her an encouraging nod before leaving the bathroom.

Madeline cringed as pulled the needle and thread through her own flesh, stitching the wound closed. For a quick moment, she thought back to when their battle with Deimos and Phobos left Madeline to stitch up Connor. She pushed the painful memory away and tied the end of the thread, cutting it away and replacing the supplies in the medical supply box. She hoped she wouldn't need it again anytime soon.  
>After she rinsed the stitched up wound again, Madeline turned on the shower.<p>

Connor heard the shower start and waited nervously in the living room. He closed the front door that he'd left open in their hurry, making sure to lock it. A cold wind had blown in and chilled the house. After a few minutes of impatiently walking around the house and fidgeting with everything in sight, Connor went upstairs and decided to take his own shower. He was out after a few minutes and was a little more calm than before, but still tense. He laughed a little bit that Madeline was still in the shower and changed into some sweatpants and a t-shirt. By the time he was downstairs in the living room again, Madeline was out of the bathroom, showered and changed into her own pajamas. He smiled at her penguin-print shorts and baggy, pink sweatshirt.

"Nice pj's," he teased her as she sat down on the couch next to him.  
>"Shut up," she told him with a little scowl as she leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips.<br>"Gladly," he replied with a smirk.  
>He brushed aside her damp curls that she had tied back in a ponytail and kissed her again. They let their worries and tension float away for a moment as they got lost in their kiss, enjoying the feeling of their lips together and their bodies against each other.<br>Connor lied on his back on the couch, holding Madeline in his arms as she rested her head on his chest with her dainty body on top of his. She played with his curly hair for a moment before crossing her arms across his chest and resting her chin on them, looking up at Connor with his arms resting on her back.  
>"How's your arm?" he asked her softly.<br>"It's fine," Madeline answered him, looking into his dazzling blue eyes. They reminded her so much of diamonds, millions of sparkling diamonds. "I'm sure it'll be healed by the morning."  
>He smiled at her pretty face and looked into her big, dark eyes. Even the few times that they had been anything but happy, Connor could look into them and find warmth.<br>Reaching for the remote, Madeline clicked on the TV.  
>"Think anything made it onto the news?" she asked.<br>"Doubt it," he replied, tracing circles on her back with one arm behind his head. "Mortals are _seriously_ oblivious. I mean, the Mist has something to do with it, but I'm pretty sure it's mostly just them and their denial."  
>"Denial is a basic part of mortal life," she joked, laughing lightly. He could feel it reverberate in her chest.<br>Madeline turned on her side and snuggled into Connor, resting her head on his chest again. With the steady rise and fall of his chest and his heartbeat, along with the low volume of the TV in the background, she soon fell asleep. Connor smiled at her and studied her sleeping face; she looked more peaceful and calm than she had in days.  
>With his arms around her, he too fell asleep, clicking off the TV as he dozed out of consciousness.<p> 


	45. The Grey Sisters

Connor awoke to the smell of something delicious. With his eyes still closed, he inhaled deeply and recognized the scent that was making him salavate as the wonderfull scent of cooked bacon.  
>For a quick moment, he thought he was home with his mother on those few days when the three of them- him, his brother, and his mother- were together, apart from the wicked world of the gods. His mother would always make breakfast for him and Travis on the last days when they were together, always a bitter-sweet goodbye.<br>He opened his eyes and the memory of all the recent events flooded back into his mind as he looked around at the bright, sunlit room. He noticed Madeline wasn't on the couch with him anymore and peaked his head over the back of the sofa. He saw her in the kitchen, dancing around and humming to herself, obviously the maker of the tempting breakfast he was smelling. Connor didn't say anything and watched Madeline dance for a moment longer, smiling. She had changed into clothes for a day's journey, jean shorts and a t-shirt with the words of another organization she supported, and braided her long, dark curls into a thick braid down her back. She held a pan's handle in her hand and spun around to the rythm she was humming, gracefully skipping as she threw a dash of some seasoning into the food she was cooking. Connor chuckled quietly and kept watching.  
>Madeline opened the fridge and pulled out a jug of orange juice, twirling on one foot before placing it on the kitchen counter next to a pair of cups. She turned back to the stove with a few different pans and emptied their contents onto several plates. She took a little piece of what Connor could see to be scrambled eggs and tossed it into the air, catching it in her mouth with a little grin.<br>As Madeline went on to try the same with a piece of bacon, Connor called out cheerfully, "Good morning!"  
>Madeline, clearly startled, jumped a bit and turned towards him, missing the piece of bacon as it fell to the floor.<br>"Good morning," Madeline said back, scolding him with a small smirk and eyeroll as she returned to her food. "Breakfast is ready."  
>"And it smells great," Connor said hungrily as he got up from the couch and walked over to the kitchen. He sat on one of the stools at the island and leaned forward, snatching a piece of bacon off the plate as Madeline placed them on the island.<br>"Thanks," Madeline said with a chuckle, sitting across from him on the other side of the island.  
>"I'm glad to know you can cook," he said with his mouth full of the breakfast infront of him as he poured a good portion onto an empty plate. "And dance."<br>Madeline felt her face get a little warm and smirked down at her food, eating a piece of toast to hide it.  
>Connor noticed and smirked at her.<br>"So, when'd you wake up?" he asked her teasingly.  
>"Early," she said. "I always do."<br>"Yuck," he joked, making a face of disgust.  
>Madeline laughed and continued eating her food. Connor was eating at a much faster pace than her, making dramatic noises of pleasure as he did so.<br>"You're making the food uncomfortable," she mused, smiling widely at Connor.  
>"It should be flattered," he replied, his words muffled slightly by all the food in his mouth.<br>"Well, they're glad you like them." Madeline reached forward and picked up her glass of orange juice.  
>Connor glanced at her arm and was relieved to see it healed, the only trace of last night's events a faint, white line down her caramel skin.<br>After they were done eating breakfast, Connor left for the bathroom and got ready for their travel back to Camp Half-Blood.  
>Soon afterwards, he returned in jeans and a plain t-shirt.<br>Madeline was putting the small sack of golden drachmas into her bag, along with the perfume from Demeter.  
>"So," he said, tousling his curls that were damp from his morning shower, "do we know how that stuff works?"<br>"What do you mean?" Madeline asked, slinging the strap onto her shoulder.  
>"I mean, last night I saw you," he explained, "after you tackled me to the ground and took a poison dagger in the arm for me."<br>Madeline smiled sheepishly at him and continued packing her bag.  
>"I never got to thank you for that," he said, looking at her.<br>"You don't have to," Madline replied, glancing at him for a moment.  
>"It would've gone straight into my heart," he said.<br>Madleine stood up from gathering various things for they journey back to Camp and said calmly, "That's why it wasn't an option for me _not_ to do it. You don't have to thank me."  
>"Well," Connor said stubornly, "thank you."<br>Madeline sighed and smirked a little at him.  
>"It's what you're suposed to do as a good partner in battle," she said with a raised eyebrow, refusing to accept his graditute.<br>"I'd choose you as a partner in battle anyday," Connor said cheerfully, grinning widely at her.  
>Madeline shrugged and said jokingly with a smile, "I guess so, but Travis is much better with a sword. I'd choose him over me."<br>Connor stepped forward, holding Madeline's hands in his, and said, "But I can't do this with Travis."  
>He leaned down and kissed Madeline on the lips, moving his hands to her waist as she moved hers across his chest to rest gently on his shoulders. After an enjoyable amount of kissing, the two pulled apart and smirked at eachother.<br>"No, you can't do that with Travis," Madeline said, a little flustered.  
>"I mean," Connor said shrugging, "I could, but that's frowned upon by most."<br>Madeline rolled her eyes at him, adjusting the stap of her bag on her shoulder.  
>"So, ready to go?" she asked lightly.<br>"Yep," he replied, looking around the pleasant house.  
>Madeline opened the front door and walked out onto the porch, feeling the refreshing summer breeze from the ocean. Connor closed the door behind them and they began their walk to the path that would lead them out of the field.<br>"So," Connor said, "back to the perfume."  
>Madeline thought about it for a moment before replying, "My guess is that once you know it's there, you can see it."<br>"Makes sense," Connor agreed. "I couldn't smell the perfume either."  
>"Ok then," Madeline said. "Maybe... you can only smell it when it's not making something invisible?"<br>"Maybe," he replied.  
>"I'll figure it out once we get back to Camp," Madeline said. "Annabeth can help me, though it'd be great if it had a manuel."<br>Conno laughed and said, "The Gods tend to not make it that easy."  
>Madeline sighed becasue she was starting to find this to be true.<br>About half an hour later, they came to a bus stop that would take them back to New York.  
>"Here's to hoping it's a smooth ride back," Madeline said optimistically as they stepped onto the bus.<br>They paid their fares and then went to the back of the bus to a pair of empty seats.  
>"We'll be fine," Connor assured her. "It's not <em>impossible<em> to have a nice day."  
>Madeline raised an eyebrow in silent agreement and looked out the window as they drove away.<p>

Somehow, Connor and Madeline managaged to arrive at their New York busstation without any unpleasant encounters, besides the grouchy bus driver looking at the two teenagers with judgemental distaste.  
>They found an empty bench on the sidewalk for a short rest before they caught a taxi back to Camp Half-Blood. A fire hydrant next to the bench had sprung a leak, creating a cloud of fine mist.<br>Out of the corner of Madeline's eye, she saw something move. She turned her head to face the fire hydrant and was very surprised to see an image of the Big House's porch. Travis was looking straight at Madeline through the Iris Message. She reached back and tapped Connor on the leg to get his attention.  
>"Travis?" Madeline said, surprised at his appearance.<br>"Hi, Madeline, Connor," he greeted the two. "You guys need to get back to Camp, now."  
>"We're already in New York," Madeline told him. "We'll be there soon."<br>"You need to get here sooner," Travis said urgently.  
>"We will," Connor assured his brother. "We gotta go before someone sees."<br>With that, he swept his hand through the Iris Message and it turned back to regular mist.  
>"How are we getting there <em>sooner<em>?" Madeline asked Connor as he pulled out a golden drachma from her bag.  
>"The Grey Sister's Taxi," he told her, standing up from the bench and walking over to the side of the busy road.<br>With the golden drachma outstretched in his hand, Connor spoke something in Greek that Madeline understood as "Stop, Chariot of Damnation." He dropped the drachma onto the black pavement where it sunk into the ground, a mass of black tendrils sprouting in its place. Madeline stepped closer to Connor and watched in amazement as the black smoke took on the form of a taxi. The smoke finally seemed sitisfied with its shape and stopped moving so chaotically, though its walls still looked like vapid, black matter. This was proven irrelivant when Connor reached out and opened one of the doors, gesturing for Madeline to enter the taxi from Hades. She hesitated for a moment, not sure if she would fall through when she stepped in, but trusted Connor's judgement and did so. She sat down on the slick, black leather seats and searched for a seatbelt, only to find torturous-looking black chains. She moved on from that dissapointment and looked to the front seat where she found three old woman.  
>They looked so ancient that Madeline thought if they were touched even the slightest bit, they would turn to dust. They obviously didn't think so as they smacked eachother with their wrinkled, writhered hands and bickered in hoarse, nagging voices.<br>"Tempest!" the middle one cried, "step on the gas already! The boy's been in for nearly 5 seconds!"  
>"I'm going, Wasp!" the driver called, looking towards her sisters with an empty eye socket as she accelarated from their spot on the road.<br>Madeline braced herself against the back of the seat and looked at Connor in distress.  
>"Relax," he told her, though he looked only slightly less panicked. "They know what they're doing."<br>"Damn right we do!" the old lady in the passenger seat called out, looking back at the two with her one, big eye.  
>Madeline leaned away from her in shock and held back a cry.<br>"We'd do even _better_," Tempest complained, "if you would give me the eye, Anger!"  
>"You have the tooth!" Anger shouted.<br>"Wrong!" Tempest corrected her. "Wasp took it from me!"  
>"Because I never get to bite the drachmas anymore!" Wasp said, holding up the golden coin Connor had hailed them with. She bit down on it with one, yellow tooth and said, "This one's real, by the way!"<br>Before they could bicker anymore, Madeline interrupted them.  
>"Um, excuse me," she said politely, watching with terror as they weaved through the traffic far beyond the speed limit, "but you don't even know where we need to go."<br>The three sisters cackled and said in unison, "Of course we do, silly girl!"  
>"Camp Half-Blood, Half Blood Hill-" Tempest began.<br>"Farm Road, 3.141-" Wasp continued.  
>"Long Island, New York-" Tempest interrupted.<br>"Area code, 1-19-54," Anger finished. "And we know much more than just that!"  
>"The cooridinates to the biggest diamond on Earth , yet to be discovered, are-"<br>"Oh, Wasp!" Tempest whined, "they don't care about that! When you're old enough for the lottery, the winning numbers are-"  
>"Turn left!" Anger yelled at her blind sister, causing her to violently jerk the taxi onto a side road, sending Madeline tumbling into Connor.<br>He steadied her and chuckled, smirking at her worried face. Madeline smacked him on the arm and sat up, looking out the window as the city began to thin out as they sped by at a dizzying speed.  
>"And we know," Wasp called out, turning her nearly-bald head towards Madeline, "you musn't fight with that daughter of Aphrodite. You two are meant to be a great help to eachother!"<br>"Drew?" Madeline asked in disgust.  
>"Hush up, Wasp!" Anger screeched, punching her sister on the arm.<br>Wasp turned around and poked Anger in the eye, causing it to fall out of the socket and into her waiting hand.  
>Madeline and Connor both felt themselves gag at the grotesque sight.<br>"Haha!" Wasp called out victoriously, popping the eyeball into her empty socket with a sickening squelching noise.  
>Connor made a queasy face and looked away, choosing the ground of the taxi as a much better option. Madeline smirked at him and turned her attention back to the sisters.<br>"What do you mean I'm not supposed to fight with Drew?" Madeline asked.  
>"You shouldn't be so nosy," Tempest scolded her, looking away from the road ahead of them. The city was now gone, replaced by the open fields of grass.<br>"We can't reveal information regarding prophecies!" Anger explained.  
>"Prophecy?" Connor asked, looking up at the sisters.<br>"Shut your mouth!" Tempest told her sister. "And give me the eye while you're at it!"  
>"I can't!" Anger told her. "Waspy took it!"<br>"She can't have the tooth _and_ the eye!" Tempest said, outraged.  
>"But you get to drive!" Wasp complained in her shrill voice.<br>"Not for long!" Tempest shouted, removing her hands from the wheel and turning to her sister, snatching at her face for whatever body part she could get,  
>whether it be the rotten tooth or repulsive eye.<br>"Hands on the wheel!" Madleine shouted.  
>Tempest did so and let out an annoyed cry, accelerating the taxi in outrage.<br>"Slow down!" Connor called out.  
>"Brake!" Wasp yelled.<br>Tempest did what her seeing sister told her and pressed the brake, bringing the taxi to a stop with a deafening screech.  
>Connor and Madeline were thrown forward, their heads colliding with the seats infront of them. They both let out painful groans as they held their forheads and moved towrds their doors.<br>"Finally," Connor said as he opened his door and stepped out.  
>"Thank you," Madeline told them, sounding very grateful to be on still, solid ground again.<br>"That's more like it!" Anger called out.  
>"You'd think they'd show more respect for the women that know of the deaths of their loved ones!" Wasp added as the doors slammed closed and the black taxi of smoke raced away, dissapearing into the distance in an instant.<br>"What?" Madeline yelled after them.  
>The two stood in the road infront of Half Blood Hill for a moment in silence, looking after the taxi.<br>"Hey," someone called from atop the hill, standing beside Thalia's Pine. "C'mon, guys!"  
>Connor and Madeline turned towards the person and began walking up the hill. The person jogged forward and met them half-way.<br>"You guys are finally here!" said the little boy. He was one of Connor's younger half-siblings.  
>The little boy, who Madeline remembered as Liam from all the times she had played with the younger campers, grinned at them with a happy smile that revealed his recently lost baby teeth. He took Madeline's hand and excitedly pulled her forward.<br>"What's going on, Liam?" Connor asked as they walked up the hill.  
>"Rachel's here!" he answered enthusiastically. "She wants to meet Madeline!"<br>Madeline turned to Connor with a worried look. He remembered her dream that she had been so upset about and looked into her scared eyes. Connor didn't say anything, so as not to alarm little Liam, but he looked at her with a brave face and nodded comfortingly at her.  
>They reached the top of the hill and looked down at the familiar sight of Camp Half-Blood. It felt so good to be back, except for the unpleasant news of their visitor.<br>They walked towards the Big House and recognized the people that sat on the front porch.  
>As usual, Chiron and Dionysus sat in their chairs, playing Pinochle.<br>Leaning on the railing was Travis and Katie, along with a familiar looking red-headed girl. The three joined everyone on the porch, Liam being the only one excited to be back.  
>"Here they are!" he announced proudly. "Thanks buddy," Travis said with a smile. "Get back to your training now, you did a good job."<br>They all watched as Laim ran away, looking so innocent and care-free, having no idea of what was happening.  
>"Hi," Rachel said kindly. "I'm Rachel Dare."<br>Madeline looked at her with a blank expression and replied, "I know."


	46. Prophecy

Everyone on the porch stared at Madeline with confused faces.  
>"You know?" Katie asked her younger half-sister.<br>Of all the times Rachel had been mentioned, they'd never gone into detail and she was sure Madeline had never seen a picture.  
>"Yeah," Madeline said quietly. "I've kinda met you before... in a dream I had a little while ago."<br>Madeline looked at Rachel with a still face for a moment before looking down at the wooden planks of the porch floor, an uneasy feeling forming in her chest.  
>She wished she'd never had that dream. It'd been haunting her since the moment she woke up from it.<br>"What happened in the dream?" Rachel asked curiously.  
>Madeline looked up a little bit and replied, "It was just you and I, here at Camp. Your eyes got all green and misty..." She withheld the details, not wanting to say them aloud. "That was it."<br>"Oh," Katie said sullenly. "That's what happens when the Oracle gives a prophecy."  
>Madeline looked at Katie with big eyes, her eyebrows scrunched together with worry.<br>"Splendid," Dionysus said sarcastically, not looking up from his game of Pinochle. After a moment of silence, Rachel cleared her throat.  
>"Well," she said calmly, "I came here because I've been seeing you, a lot. The visions started a few weeks ago. Of course, I recognized Travis and Connor right away," she explained. "And Katie too, from the start. But there was someone else in the visions, and I couldn't see their face for the longest time. I could just hear her laugh," Rachel added with a kind smile. "Finally, a few days ago, I saw your face. And now that I'm meeting you in person, I'm sure it's you."<br>Connor looked at Madeline's sunken shoulders and felt a terrible queasiness in the pit of his stomach.  
>He swallowed before saying, "We have an idea of what's going on. While we were away, Demeter visited us."<br>Katie looked at Madeline with a surprised look on her face. "She did?"  
>Madeline looked guiltily at her half-sister and nodded her head.<br>"You didn't miss out on much, though. She just told us that there is a possible war about to break out amongst the gods." Madeline gestured to her sister, Travis, Connor, and herself and added, "And we're somehow stuck in the middle of it."  
>Chiron spoke up for the fist time from his silent spot in his wheelchair.<br>"Do you know what this war is about?" he asked firmly.  
>"Apparently," Connor said, seeing that Madeline didn't want to talk, "Nemesis is pissed off at the other gods because Aphrodite killed her boyfriend. She's building an army of all the minor gods she can get against them, and it doesn't seem like she's bluffing."<br>Dionysus sighed and said, "Nemesis was always one for dramatics."  
>No one spoke for a moment.<br>Travis glanced worriedly at Katie and asked, "And how are we involved with this?"  
>"We have no idea," Madeline said, sounding a bit irritated.<br>"Neither do I," Rachel added. "My visions are are so scattered, it's like they don't mean anything."  
>"What have they been about?" Madeline asked desperately, holding her breath slightly.<br>Rachel reached into a bag she had by her feet and pulled out a large sketch pad. She held it out to Madeline, who hesitated before taking it with her nervous hands. She flipped open to one of the first pages and saw Travis and Katie drawn so realistically that it was like she was was looking at a photograph. Katie seemed to be scolding a pleased looking Travis as she pointed to the roof of the familiar looking Demeter cabin, except that the roof was covered in chocolate bunnies. Madeline smirked at the drawing and flipped to another random page, this time finding a drawing of Connor and Travis sitting together by the Climbing Wall. Travis's head was thrown back in laughter while Connor was scowling at him and seemed to be blushing. Madeline tipped her head to the side in curiosity and closed the sketch pad, holding it to her chest.  
>She looked at Rachel and asked hopefully, "Can I keep this?"<br>Rachel nodded at her, not surprised at all by her request.  
>"We can discuss this later," Chiron said finally, stepping out of his wheelchair into centaur form on the porch, his back legs seemingly coming out of thin air as the teenagers made way for him to walk through. When he was off the porch and had enough space, he turned around and looked at them.<br>"For now, you should all get back to your training. Do not discuss this with anyone else. Rachel, I trust Annabeth and Percy are in the arena. Now, off with you all."  
>The five teenagers walked away from the porch.<br>Katie and Travis drifted away from Madeline and Connor as they disappeared into the flow of campers, satyrs, and other creatures moving around.  
>Connor took Madeline's hand into his, feeling how rattled she was from everything.<br>She looked up at him with loving eyes and said with a soft smile, "I'm fine. I don't like it... at all. But it's okay."  
>He smiled down at her and rested his head on hers, softly touching her cheek as he kissed her forehead.<br>"I'll see you later," he said, brushing a curl behind her ear.  
>Madeline nodded at him and went on her tip-toes to give Connor a kiss on the cheek, letting her dainty hand linger in his strong one before walking away.<br>He watched her blend into the stream of people before turning and leaving himself.

* * *

><p>Madeline put her sculpting tools away at the end of her Arts and Crafts session. She had been glad to have something to keep her thinking of anything else other than the matter at hand. She ran her hand over the smooth surface of the marble sculpture that was finally done. The snakes wove together into a winged vase that held a beautiful bouquet of flowers, just like Madeline had seen in her mind. After putting the sculpture away in a safe spot in the Arts and Crafts pavilion, she walked out into the warm light of the setting sun. While she was walking down the path, someone jogged up to her and called her name.<br>"Madeline!" an unfamiliar voice hollered.  
>She stopped and turned around, seeing Rachel coming towards her. Rachel slowed down as she came towards Madeline in her tattered, paint-splattered jeans and a worn t-shirt. Madeline, feeling a sickening sense of déjà vu, nervously scanned the area with darting eyes and assured herself that all the campers around her were't going to disappear like in her dream that was quickly becoming a nightmare.<br>"Hey," Rachel said with a smile, catching up to her.  
>"Hi," Madeline said timidly.<br>"I wanted to talk to you," Rachel said.  
>"Well, here I am," Madeline replied with a tense smile, trying to be polite.<br>Even though Rachel seemed like an easy-going, nice person, being around her made Madeline feel uneasy, as if the friendly red-head before her would turn into a rabid, prophecy-spewing, ancient oracle at any moment. She told herself it wasn't fair to think of Rachel that way, but it didn't ease the jittery feeling in her chest. Rachel walked forward, obviously expecting Madeline to walk with her. Madeline realized this and joined her, walking beside her down the pathway.  
>"So," Rachel began lightly, "what exactly happened in this dream of yours?"<br>Madeline knew Rachel could sense there was more than what she had told them earlier and decided it was no use hiding it now.  
>"We were here, at Camp Half-Blood," she explained like earlier. "You came towards me and touched my hand. You told me you were sorry, but it didn't seem like you. You felt really...distant," Madeline said, searching for the right word to describe the bizarre sensation of her dream, which she remembered clear as if it had really happened only a moment ago instead of nearly a week. "Then," she continued, "your eyes glowed green and the dream ended."<br>Rachel pondered on the enhanced version of the dream and said, "You see, that's just weird, besides the obvious reasons, because the Oracle doesn't sympathize with the people of the prophecies she gives. And I don't remember the prophecies I speak; the Oracle of Delphi kinda hijacks my body when she wants to."  
>"Bummer," Madeline said.<br>Rachel smiled a little, looking at Madeline. She smiled back, seeing the amusement on Rachel's face. Seeing her smile in reality for the first time, Rachel felt its warmth much stronger than in her visions when it had been the only clue as to who the mystery girl was.  
>"If you need to talk," Rachel said kindly, "I'm here."<br>Madeline looked a her with a touched smile and nodded, knowing Rachel meant what she said.  
>"Thanks," she said graciously.<br>"Well," Rachel said, waving lightly at her, "I gotta go. I'll see you at the campfire."  
>Madeline nodded at her and waved back as she walked away.<br>Back at the Demeter cabin, Madeline greeted her brothers and sisters with hugs and was glad to have their company again.  
>Soon afterwards, all the campers gathered around the blazing fire, its flames cracking and licking at the starry sky. It was a cheerful, bright orange to match the lively, chattering campers that were laughing and smiling. Madeline looked at the enchanted flames wistfully and let their message calm her down.<br>After a few songs, Madeline started to relax and let herself enjoy the gathering. Chiron called the attention of all the demigods and made a few general announcements that Madeline didn't pay attention to as someone came up next to her.  
>"Hey," Connor said quietly, smirking at her.<br>"Hey," she said back with a smile. "How was your day?" she asked, sighing lightly.  
>Connor chuckled and replied, "It was fine. Quiet, compared to what's been going on lately."<br>"Ditto," Madeline agreed. After a few minutes of more chatter, Rachel walked over to Madeline and Connor.  
>"Hi guys," she said casually. They both greeted her as she sat down next to them. Madeline nervously held Connor's hand.<br>As she turned to look at Rachel, she went stiff and felt her voice get trapped in her throat.  
>Rachel's eyes had gone misty and were glowing green, a haze seeming to have formed around her as she opened her mouth and tendrils of green mist began pouring out of her and gathering around her and Madeline as she leaned forward.<br>When she spoke to a paralyzed Madeline, her voice was not the friendly one Madeline knew; instead, it was raspy and course, the cold voice of something that hadn't spoken for a long time.  
>All the campers went silent as the Oracle spoke in a barely audible voice, Madeline being the only one who could hear her haunting words.<p>

The mist cleared and a camper behind Rachel caught her as she slumped down.  
>Everything was silent, the only think to be heard the sound of the flames that had turned a deep, dark red.<p>

"What did she say?" Connor asked Madeline, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Madeline couldn't speak as she looked at Connor with scared eyes.  
>Chiron walked over and looked down at Madeline.<br>"What did the Oracle say?" he asked her gently. He held his hand out to her and she looked at it for a moment before taking it with with one of her own shaking hands.  
>Madeline walked to the front of the campfire and stood before all of the campers.<br>"Uh," she said shakily, feeling like she was going to be sick,"so, the Oracle gave a prophecy."  
>All the hundreds of demigods stared at her expectantly, waiting for her to continue.<br>She swallowed with a dry mouth and said in a steady voice,

_"Now that the daughters of Demeter and sons of Hermes have found each other,_  
><em>a dark fate is bestowed upon these demigod lovers.<em>  
><em>By the death of her mate, a vengeful goddess finds hate<br>__to destroy Olympus, if the two brothers don't haste._  
><em>With the guidance of a dove, the sons of Hermes must travel,<em>  
><em>and the truth delivered by them will surely unravel<em>  
><em>the destruction of the gods, but not without the price of a brothers breath,<em>  
><em>as one returns home and the other is greeted by an angel of death.<em>  
><em>For the goddess will not end this war,<em>  
><em>unless she takes what was taken from her."<em>

Katie stood up and walked over to Madeline and took her shaking hand, leading her to sit back down.  
>Chiron looked at the crowd of teenagers and said grimly, "A quest has been delivered."<br>No one cheered.  
>"It's talking about us," Katie said finally, breaking the silence.<br>"And Connor and Travis," Madeline added.  
>The two sisters looked at each other sadly and knew what they said was true.<br>"It mentioned a dove," a daughter of Athena pointed out.  
>"So obviously," Drew said in the crowd, "it means a child of Athena. That means me," she added.<br>"We will discuss this elsewhere," Chiron said sternly. "All cabin leaders, to the Big House. Everyone else, return to your cabins."  
>There was some moans of protest from the crowd, but they followed the orders and dispersed to where they were supposed to be.<br>Chiron looked at Madeline and said, "You too, join us for the meeting."  
>She expected this and simply nodded at the centaur.<br>She and Katie walked next to each other through the throng of campers and made their way to the Big House.

* * *

><p>Inside, all the cabin leaders, Madeline, Chiron, Dionysus, and Rachel gathered in the rec room around the ping-pong table. Madeline sat down next to Katie with Connor and Travis next to them. She looked at Connor but had nothing to say, the case being the same with him. Instead, they just stayed silent.<br>"Madeline," Chiron said once everyone was settled down, "since you were the only one who heard it, would you please recite the Prophecy?"  
>Looking down, Madeline did as she was asked, as well as scribble it down on a piece of paper someone passed to her. She felt embarrassed using the word "lovers" to describe herself and Connor, as well as Katie and Travis, to a room of people, but she got over it and finished repeating what the Oracle had said through Rachel. The piece of paper with the prophecy on it, written in Madeline's curly handwriting, was passed around the table of demigods. They each looked at it for a moment before passing it to the person next to them.<br>"So," Annabeth inquired, "what is this even about?"  
>Connor spoke up and replied, "Nemesis is angry because her mortal boyfriend died. She blames the Olympian gods and is building an army against them of the minor gods, planning to destroy them."<br>"How do you know?" Justin, a son of Nemesis, asked accusingly.  
>"Because Demeter told us," Madeline said placidly, her eyes daring him, or anyone, to challenge her.<br>Justin glowered at her but leaned back in his chair, saying no more.  
>"Like I was saying before," Drew said, "a dove is referring to a child of Aphrodite, so I'll go."<br>Madeline looked at Drew's pleased face and felt the anger burning in her stomach.  
>"This isn't a good thing," she said, speaking sharper than anyone had ever heard before. "Wipe that smug look off your face."<br>Everyone looked at her with surprise and disbelief, some even looking impressed. Madeline, feeling bad for her outburst, took a deep breath and looked down.  
>"So that means," Travis said, moving on from the uncomfortable moment, "that the three for the quest are Connor, Drew, and I."<br>"Looks like it," Connor agreed darkly.  
>"Why does an Aphrodite child need to go?" Percy asked, confused.<br>"Because this is a matter of love," Madeline replied. "They need to convince Nemesis to call off the war, and the reason she's doing it in the first place is because she lost the man she loves and is looking for someone to blame."  
>"Hey," Justin protested angrily. "That's my mom you're talking about."<br>"And you obviously share the same temper," Katie snapped back.  
>"Let's not fight," Rachel said. "Isn't it bad enough having the Gods at war?"<br>"Look," Madeline said tiredly, looking at Justin with sad eyes, "I'm not accusing Nemesis or insulting her. She's just hurt because she lost the man she loves. I understand that. But in the end, she's the cause of this war and needs to be stopped."  
>Ethan looked like he was about to argue, but Madeline cut him off.<br>"I don't mean we need to attack her. She just needs to be... pacified. Nemesis needs to see that what she's doing is wrong."  
>"She's just getting even. The gods killed him, didn't they?" Ethan said impatiently.<br>"I don't believe that," Connor replied. "The prophecy said something about a truth. There's got to be more to the story."  
>Everyone thought about this for a moment.<br>"Not to be a bummer," Will Solace interjected, "but what about that last part?"  
>Madeline hadn't been able to stop thinking about it from the moment she heard the words.<br>Travis and Connor glanced at each other.  
>"Before we skip to the end," Annabeth suggested, "why don't we start at the beginning?" She looked down at the paper and quoted, "<em>'Now that the daughters of Demeter and sons of Hermes have found each other, a dark fate is bestowed upon these demigod lovers.'<em> Obviously, that's Katie, Madeline, Travis, and Connor."  
>When nobody protested, the four said teenagers blushing, Annabeth continued.<br>"_'By the death of her mate, a vengeful goddess finds hate to destroy Olympus, if the two brothers don't haste.'_"  
>"So," Clarisse spoke, "Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, is going to destroy Olympus because her boyfriend is dead, unless they," she added, jabbing her thumb towards Travis and Connor, "hurry up."<br>Everyone nodded, the two brothers agreeing as well with glum expressions.  
>Annabeth continued reading aloud, "<em>'With the guidance of a dove, the sons of Hermes must travel'<em>."  
>"Meaning that Travis, Connor, and I are the ones who need to go on the quest," Drew said.<br>No one denied this, though Madeline wished she could. No matter how much she disliked it, it was clear that what Drew said was right.  
>"<em>'And the truth delivered by them will surely unravel the destruction of the gods'<em>." Annabeth continued.  
>"What 'truth'?" Percy asked.<br>"We have no idea," Katie replied.  
>"Okay, so obviously, you need to tell Nemesis something she doesn't know that will make her call off the war," Will said.<br>Everyone at the table murmured their agreement.  
>"Moving on," Annabeth said, reading the next line of the prophecy. "<em>'But not without the price of a brothers breath, as one returns home<em>..."  
>She didn't read the last part, everyone already knowing what is said. All their eyes had lingered on that line the longest when they had read it themselves.<br>Again, the room fell into a dark silence, no one wanting to be the first one to speak.  
>"Either my brother or I are going to die on this quest," Connor said bluntly, a blank expression on his face with his arms crossed over his chest.<br>"You don't know that," Madeline said softly, touching his arm gently. He didn't look at her.  
>"Sorry to break it to you, Sweetheart," Clarisse said, though not cruelly, "but what else could it be saying?"<br>"You musn't dwell too much on a prophecy," Chiron told them all in a comforting tone. "They're never as they seem."  
>Annabeth read the last line of the prophecy. "<em>'For the goddess will not end this war unless she takes what was taken from her'.<em>"  
>"She wants to take away someone else's love like her's was," Katie explained. Underneath the table, her and Travis were holding hands.<br>Chiron spoke after a long moment of silence and said, "You should all return to your cabins now. It's late."  
>The teenage demigods all stood from their seats around the pin-pong meeting table and slowly walked out of the room, giving Travis, Connor, Katie, and Madeline sad looks as they did. The four of them, along with Drew, stayed behind.  
>"You should leave as soon as possible," Chiron said, "tomorrow, even."<br>Madeline was surprised at this, but knew he was right.  
>"For now, though, you should go to bed."<br>They left without saying anything, Chiron following behind. Madeline turned around at the door and looked at Dionysus, who hadn't said anything the whole time.  
>"Yes?" he asked her, looking at her with a bored expression.<br>Madeline blinked at him and said simply, "I just thought you would have an opinion about all this."  
>He raised an eyebrow at her stood up, walking over to her.<br>"I think," he said wisely, "that love is a very powerful thing."  
>He looked at Madeline, seemingly evaluating the girl, before walking out of the room and leaving her alone.<p> 


	47. By the Light of the Silvery Moon

Madeline walked burdensomely back to the cabins through the dark silence of the now sleeping Camp Half-Blood.  
>All the other demigods were in their cabins, blissfully oblivious and able to rest peacefully.<br>Madeline could feel her eyes sting with tears and her throat become sore, but she held them back, knowing she couldn't do anything of the sort at a time like this. She almost didn't notice the boy leaning against the side of her cabin, concealed in the shadows, until he reached out and gently grabbed her arm.  
>Immediately, Madeline knew it was him and turned around to face him. By the light of the silvery moon that hung in the sky above them like a sad friend, she saw the sullen look on Connor's face and moved forward to wrap her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. Connor held Madeline close to him and tightened his arms around her, not wanting to ever let her go. He didn't want to be apart from her, to leave her, and wanted nothing more than to stay in that moment forever.<br>Madeline looked up at him with thoughtful eyes, and for once, didn't say anything. She had no wise words of comfort or optimism. She blinked ominously at him and knew that the right words to say were none.  
>There was nothing to say; they both understood completely, and nothing they could say would change anything. They weren't going to conceal their woeful misfortunes with thin veils of false ignorance.<br>Connor looked into Madeline's eyes for a moment before deeply pressing his lips against hers, letting her feel all his emotions through the passionate kiss.  
>She returned the feeling, kissing him back with all her strength. After the initial frenzy to be together, to be close, they pulled apart and kissed much more softheartedly.<br>He looked down into her warm eyes again, so comforting even with all her own sadness.  
>When he spoke, Madeline felt his warm breath on her temple where his lips rested.<br>"I love you."  
>Connor almost couldn't believe that he was saying the words - to a girl, to anyone - but it felt right saying them to Madeline.<br>If someone had told him at the beginning of the summer that he was going to meet a beautiful girl that he loved so much it made his heart ache just thinking of her, he would've laughed in their face. He'd never know the love he knew now with Madeline, an impossibly perfect love whenever they were together.  
>Whenever she smiled at him or laughed, whenever he held her hand or hugged her, whenever they kissed, Connor felt like, in that moment, that even in his twisted world as a demigod, perfection was possible.<br>Madeline heard the words and felt like she could fall asleep in his arms and never wake up.  
>She'd never thought something so beautiful could be so ridden with sadness, and even though it was, her heavy heart all the proof needed, she felt so happy.<br>Madeline nearly laughed at the extreme bitter-sweetness of it all, but of course, didn't.  
>Instead she kissed him again, so tenderly it was almost painful, and replied in a soft whisper, barely audible, "I love you, too."<br>They stayed like that for a long time, still and silent in each others' arms.  
>They knew that they needed to go to their cabins for the night in order to avoid the Harpies and slowly pulled away from each other. They walked to the front of the Demeter cabin, hand in hand, and stopped by the steps that led to the door.<br>When Madeline turned to walk up the steps, Connor didn't let go of her hand. She glanced back at his hand holding hers and breathed sadly, wishing they could just be together, that tomorrow never needed to come. They hadn't done anything to deserve to be separated. Madeline realized, with a hollow feeling in her stomach, that if they could barely bring themselves to a simple goodnight, a goodbye come morning light would be nearly impossible.  
>She looked sadly at him and smiled encouragingly, silently telling him it was okay to let go.<br>They heard footsteps coming towards them and Connor reluctantly let her fingers slip away from his. She placed her hand softly on his cheek before turning and slowly opening the door to the still lit Demeter cabin.  
>She didn't look back at Connor, knowing that if she did she wouldn't be able to leave him.<br>Madeline closed the door behind her and looked up to see all her brothers and sisters gathered in the common room. She swallowed and looked at all of them with an expressionless face, seeing the pity and worry in their eyes.  
>At that moment, the door opened behind Madeline and in walked Katie. Madeline adverted her stare to the floor, looking away as Katie faced all their siblings.<br>"It's late guys," Katie said softly to them all, her voice sounding strained. "You should get to bed."  
>No one in the room moved, a frozen silence settling over the small family.<br>"Katie-" one of their brothers began, the care evident in his voice as he stepped forward.  
>"Bed," she said interrupted sternly, looking around the room with a fierce stare. They all obeyed their cabin leader and older sister and slowly filed out of the room, leaving Madeline and Katie alone. They stood together at the door, neither one looking at the other.<br>Finally, Madeline looked grimly at her sister, who met her gaze with eyes shining with tears.  
>They both walked over to one of the couches and fell down, throwing their arms around each other and letting all the tears they had been holding back all night stream down their faces.<br>The two sisters sobbed into each other, feeling the pain they shared and dreading the inevitable tomorrow.


	48. Goodbyes

Madeline woke up and stared at the ceiling of the Demeter cabin, her eyes very tired. She quietly hopped off her top bunk and walked to the girls' bathroom, closing the door behind her and switching on the light. Looking in the mirror, it became obvious why her eyes felt the way they did; she had cried through the night, through her fitful sleep. Wiping at the dried streams of tears that ran down her cheeks, she turned away from the pitiful sight of herself and turned on the warm water for a morning shower. Madeline told herself that she couldn't break like that again, be so selfishly weak. Thinking back on the night before, she could almost feel the pain creeping back into her, chilling her to the bone. It had been an unbelievably suffocating pain, a deep aching that had an unbreakable grip on her entire body, making calm thoughts seem impossible and her breathing a difficult task. Madeline pushed the returning sensation in her chest away and stepped into the shower, letting it float away.

The two brothers sat on the end of the dock, their feet hanging above the water. It seemed as if all the serenity around them was mocking them –the warm morning light, the gentle winds that placidly rippled the water's surface, the birds chirping and singing –like an all-knowing yet uncaring being, ignoring the looming tragedy that was set on Travis and Connor Stoll.  
>They stared down into the lake with and saw a couple of Naiads looking back up at them from the sandy floor, their long hair floating around their pitying faces. The water nymphs waved sadly at the demigods. Obviously, the Satyrs had been gossiping again. The two boys looked away and their brooding faces deepened, usually so carefree and mischievous and now anything but. That morning, they had been, for once, the first ones out of the Hermes cabin. Sleep had not been a relief the night before; the exhausting rest had been more of an obligation. They had honestly tried at first, after telling their horrified siblings that they would be leaving in the morning, to sleep, but no good had come from it. They faded into restless, anxious fits of unconsciousness for short while, waking up even more tired than before each time.<br>The worst part of waiting through the night was that all the thoughts, fears, and emotions festered, making things even more unbearable.  
>Travis cleared his hoarse throat and glanced at his younger brother, not sure what words to say.<br>"Whatever happens," he said finally, in a low voice, "we'll always be brothers."  
>Connor adverted his haunted gaze further away from his brother's and nodded his head, his jaw tensing.<br>"I know," he said simply.  
>Their words needed no explanation; they knew it was their goodbye.<p>

* * *

><p>Madeline stopped at the base of Half-Blood Hill, pausing to stare at the five figures outlined by the hazy early morning sunlight. With a deep breath, she adjusted her bag's shoulder strap and walked up the hill to join the centaur and four demigods, coming up next to Connor. Their hands found each other at their sides. Madeline looked up at him and smiled warmly, wishing his face would soften. She reached her free hand up and softly touched his tensed jaw, going on her tiptoes to kiss him gently. She pulled away and Connor let his lips turn up at the corners slightly, knowing she was trying to cheer him up. As ridiculous as it was, the thought of it made him want to smile.<br>"You should be leaving soon," Chiron said delicately. "Argus will take you to the airport."  
>All their gazes turned lethargically –Katie and Travis, who had been lost since Madeline arrived, for the first time –to the bottom of the hill down by the road where the many-eyed man leaned against the Delphi Strawberry Co. van.<br>"We're going to see our mom first," Connor told her in a low voice, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb, "before…anything happens."  
>Madeline cleared her hoarse throat and looked down, fighting the urge to scream.<br>A mass of anxiety had been building up in her chest, crawling up her throat and getting closer and closer to her mouth, since the moment she woke up and, unfortunately, began thinking. She knew she was being ridiculous though and resisted. Madeline looked up into Connor's eyes and felt a wave of emotion wash over her, a strange mixture of calm, sadness, and insanity. She couldn't fathom how she was supposed to stay _sane_ lost in all of the chaos, but knew she would one way or another. She smiled halfheartedly at him and let Connor's strong hand fall away, moving away from him and walking over to the girl who had had her head down the entire time, almost hiding beside the large centaur.  
>"Hey... Drew," Madeline said awkwardly.<br>Drew looked up. Her hair was pulled back in a practical ponytail that she still somehow managed to look glamorous.  
>"Yes?" she asked, more polite than she would ever be in any other situation.<br>Madeline smirked a little, not sure whether it was from annoyance that people become so staged in sensitive situations or from bitterness that this had become one of _those_ situations; the kind of situation where the most insensitive person who normally didn't care a thing about anything would suddenly become the most caring, thoughtful person in the world, a therapist, or maybe even a friend.  
>Focusing on the task at hand again, Madeline reached into the bag at her side and pulled out a glass bottle, holding it out to Drew.<br>A look of confusion came onto her face, reminding Madeline of the Drew she knew, making her smirk even more.  
>Seeing her hesitation, Madeline reached out and grabbed Drew's hand, placing the bottle in it.<br>"It's perfume from my mother," she explained, making it clear it wasn't anything ordinary. "It'll hide you from monsters. They won't be able to see you, or smell you. I hope it comes in handy."  
>"Oh," Drew replied, slightly surprised, "thanks…Madeline."<br>Her name sounded weird in Drew's voice, especially after so long of being referred to as "Dirt Girl," even if after a while it had been out of playfulness more than cruelness.  
>Madeline simply nodded and walked over to Connor again. He looked down at her with a curious look.<br>"I have to help somehow," she told him.  
>Connor frowned at the guilt he heard in her voice.<br>"None of this is your fault, you know."  
>Madeline shook her head, more to herself than him, and looked down at their feet. He was wearing a worn pair of converse, a pair that had become so familiar to her. Madeline realized they had been there for all of her moments with Connor and was saddened to think she wouldn't see them for a long time, if ever again…<br>"Mads, you know you're the most optimistic person I've ever met in my life. You have the gift of being able to infect people with this ridiculous idea that it will all be okay. And while you seem crazy a lot of the time, you're right. Don't stop being you now."  
>She blinked at him and took a deep breath.<br>"I know it's gonna be okay," she assured him. "It _will_ be okay."  
>"No matter what," he agreed with her, whispering it to the both of them. Connor rested his head against Madeline's and kissed her on the forehead.<br>"It is time," Chiron told them all in his strong voice. "You must be leaving now."  
>Madeline swallowed with her dry throat and pulled away from Connor, trying not to make it harder for him to walk away.<br>Their hands stayed woven together, closing the distance between them that felt much too far.  
>Her throat sore with the threat of tears, she pulled her fingers from his.<br>The look on his face, as if he'd been yelled at, made Madeline feel as if someone had punched her in the gut.  
>It changed to confusion as she reached up and unclasped the golden chain that always hung around her neck. Madeline gently placed her necklace with its golden charm in Connor's hand, closing his fingers around it with her dainty ones.<br>She gave him a soft kiss on the cheek and nodded at him, telling him he had to go.  
>He held her necklace tight in his hand and brushed a curl behind her ear that the wind had blown astray, giving Madeline goosebumps just like the first time he'd ever done it, and turned to his brother, whom was saying his goodbye's to a worried looking Katie.<br>The two boys picked up their bags next to Drew and the three of them stood next to each other at the top of Half-Blood Hill. Madeline walked forward and put a hand on Travis's arm, silently saying goodbye; she sadly knew he was leaving just as much as Connor was, had the same chance of either coming home, or not. Travis, the brother she had never had until that summer, held her hand for a moment before letting it drop as the three demigods walked forward, down the hill towards the waiting van.  
>Connor looked back at Madeline with his hand on the door handle and wanted nothing more than to run back to her and never let her go, knowing this could very really be the final time he was with her. Instead, he opened the door and stepped in, his brother and Drew entering after him. The door closed with a haunting slam, severing them from the rest of the world as they drove away, starting the beginning their fateful quest.<p> 


	49. Joyride

Madeline stood on the far end of the porch to the Big House, leaning against the worn wood of the railing as she stared down at her nervous hands.  
>Nothing had happened yet. She had gone through the day as if it were any other, working hard at her training, but she hadn't been able to stop thinking about the quest. The prophecy. She kept hoping for an Iris message, even if there was nothing to report. Madeline even hoped there would be nothing to report, because that meant there was no danger for them. But that would also mean no progress, which ultimately meant doom for all of them.<br>She had the secret wish that she could run away with Connor, take the both of them away from their crazy world to somewhere quiet and safe where they couldn't be bothered by the rest of the world. Somewhere where their love wouldn't be laced with tragedy. '_Let someone else save the world'_, she had thought one moment. She knew this was selfish though and had felt ashamed the instant the words crossed her mind, even more so when she didn't _care_ that it was selfish, even if just for a small moment. She told herself she hadn't meant it.

It had only been one day, but Madeline already felt like he was a lifetime away. So much had changed so drastically in such a small time. Before this summer of her life, it had just been Madeline and her father. She hadn't had any close friends and had had a simple, quiet life. She was the normal daughter of a normal man. Now she longed for the presence of her demigod boyfriend as he was away on an impossibly dangerous quest with his brother and a daughter of Aphrodite to save the world of the ancient Greek Gods from perishing at the hand of an angry Goddess.  
>This life was undoubtedly a gift; she had been given true sight of the world and a new family and so many friends to share it with; but with this gift came greater hardship than she could ever have imagined before.<br>Madeline was released from her thoughts when she heard the creaking of the wooden stairs as someone walked up next to her.  
>"Anything?" Katie asked, hoping for a different answer than she herself had given Madeline earlier when she herself had been waiting.<br>Madeline looked up from her hands to her older sister and shook her head.  
>"It's only the first day," Katie assured her.<br>Madeline didn't say anything. She just nodded and smiled lightly before walking off the porch of the Big House, Katie following behind. The sun was setting, casting long shadows as the two sisters walked to the dining pavilion.  
>As they got their dinner and walked past the long tables to make their offerings to the Gods, Madeline glanced over at the Hermes table. She made eye contact with Lucy, Connor and Travis' sister, and smiled, though her eyes were sad. Lucy, ever the tough girl, simply nodded back at her and returned her attention to her food.<br>The other demigods chattered and laughed as usual, but there was a feeling of restraint in the air, a sense of uneasiness.  
>Madeline didn't pay much attention to the conversations around her and didn't laugh at any of her siblings' jokes. They simply left her to her own thoughts.<br>The campers flowed out of the pavilion to the nightly campfire where the slightly dimmed cheer carried on until bedtime.  
>As the others went back to their cabins for the night, Madeline stayed back and found Chiron in the crowd.<br>With a doubtful hope, she asked, "Have you heard from them?"  
>The large centaur, turning his gaze from the wandering campers to the girl before him, sighed and shook his head.<br>"But that doesn't make anything to worry about. It hasn't been one day yet."  
>Madeline nodded, her eyes averted to the ground.<br>"Goodnight, Chiron," she said quietly.  
>"Goodnight, Madeline. Sleep well."<br>'_You say that as if it's easy,_' she thought to herself.  
>Madeline turned and began walking back to the Demeter cabin. When she was about to open the door to her cabin and lay down for the night, she turned her head up to the dark sky; the twinkling stars danced around the bright moon. With a involuntary smirk, Madeline let her hand drop from the doorknob and began walking away from the cabins.<p>

* * *

><p>She stood at the edge of the dock, staring down into the lake's black water. Different from last time, Madeline stripped down to her undergarments, sure that no one was around to see. Even if there had been, she didn't really care at that point. With a deep breath, she dove forward into the icy water.<br>The world was clouded out as the liquid darkness surrounded her. She stopped swimming and let herself float, studying the silence. There was a splash of moonlight at the surface of the water, the only end to the murky abyss around her. When she couldn't hold her breath anymore, Madeline swam to the light and broke through the surface.  
>Gasping for air, the world rushed back to her. The distant noises of Camp Half-Blood flooded her ears; the left over chatter and laughing, the rustling of wind, the every so often strange footstep of some creature. She wondered how much time had passed. Probably not much, though it had seemed like a long time, getting lost in the nothingness. Connor would have been able to hold his breath much longer; he had been a stronger swimmer than her.<br>With a sad pang in her heart, his laugh from that night when they were in the lake together rang in her memories. Her throat felt sore with the threat of tears as she pulled herself out of the cold water. The wind blew on Madeline, raising goosebumps on her skins and sending a tremor through her body. She closed her eyes for a moment and took several deep breaths, . Wiping away the sadness that had jumped out at her and willing the tears away, Madeline straightened herself out and pulled her clothes back on.  
>Looking back at the lake, she saw the onyx reflection of herself in the water and remembered Connor's words; "<em>Don't stop being you now.<em>"  
>"It'll all be okay," she said aloud, ignoring the whisper of her conscience at the back of her mind that called her a liar.<p>

* * *

><p>The Pegasus whinnied with delight as Madeline brushed its mane. She smiled at the beautiful winged horse and spoke as if speaking to a friend.<br>"Morning, Porkpie. I haven't been to see you in a while. I guess I was a bit preoccupied. That was selfish of me though. Sorry. You know, you _are_ my favorite."  
>Porkpie let out a satisfied whiny and stomped one of his front hooves, ruffling his massive, angelic wings. Madeline smiled.<br>"It's okay if I'm not your favorite. It's even okay if I'm not your only girl. I don't deserve it anyway. I'm sure there are dozens of other girls that spoil you."  
>Madeline held out her hand with a few sugar cubes for Porkpie. He ate them gladly with a friendly grunt.<br>"It'd be nice to understand what you're saying. It must be annoying for you to need to hear only my voice all the time."  
>Their conversation was interrupted when Lucy came running to them.<br>"Madeline," she said urgently, "an Iris-message just came in."  
>Madeline quickly put down the horse brush and dashed to the door pausing for a moment with a question on her face.<br>"The Big House," Lucy answered immediately.  
>Madeline nodded once and ran. An Iris-message could only last so long.<p>

When she made it to the steps of the big house, she heard Katie's voice inside. Slowing her pace to a walk, she entered the Big House to see Travis' face through a window of mist along with the image of a quaint backyard.  
>Travis saw Madeline standing in the doorway and smiled at her, nodding in her direction. Katie turned around.<br>"Hey. We were just finishing up," she said.  
>"About time!" Connor called out from beyond the image. "My arms are tired from holding up the hose." Everyone laughed lightly.<br>Katie stood up and let Madeline sit in front of the Iris-message. Madeline smiled at Travis before he got up and traded places with Connor.  
>Both of them grinned widely when they saw each other.<br>"Hi," Madeline said, slightly out of breath. It wasn't from her sprint.  
>"Hey," Connor said back, relieved to see her smile.<br>"How's it goin'?" Madeline asked with a skeptical smirk. She chuckled to herself and looked away, feeling foolish.  
>Connor wished she wouldn't look away; it made it much harder to see her smile, and her smile reminded him of everything good. He needed that now.<br>"We told our mother everything," he said softly.  
>"Everything?" Madeline asked, her eyebrows knit together with concern.<br>"She's a strong woman. It's best that she knows."  
>No matter how strong a woman, it must be heartbreaking knowing that one of your sons is supposed to die, and soon. Parents weren't meant to outlive their children.<br>Madeline felt herself choking up at the thought and had to hold it back from showing on her face.  
>Though quick, Connor saw the strain that flashed on Madeline's pretty face as her eyes flickered away. It hurt him to think of how hard she was working to hide her pain. He never wanted her to be unhappy because of him.<br>"She cried," Connor said sullenly. "We made our mother cry," he added quietly, his brow furrowed as he looked off past Madeline's sight of him.  
>"You haven't done anything wrong," she said reassuringly, almost sternly. "I swear to the Gods, you haven't. Please believe that. You're doing <em>everything good<em>, Connor."  
>He could hear the plea in her voice and turned back to look at her. She smiled at him and he couldn't help but smile, too.<br>It was like she was right in front of him, but Connor knew she was miles away. He wanted so badly to reach out and touch her, but his hand would only pass through the mist and break the connection. That made her feel even farther away, impossible distant from him.  
>"We're heading west to a clan of Empousai," Connor began, but stopped when he saw the startled look on Madeline's face. With a little smirk, he explained, "Hecate created them. Chiron learned that she's not on the Olympian side. Always the rebel."<br>"Wasn't she against Olympus in the... uh, Battle of Manhattan, too?" Madeline asked cautiously. She still wasn't comfortable talking about that war. So many demigods had been lost and it wasn't that long ago. She felt like she didn't have the right to talk about it.  
>"Yeah," Connor replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice. "You'd think they'd learn after the first time to stop looking for trouble. Anyway, she's the goddess of Magic, as well as trivial knowledge. Empousai are clever little know-it-alls because of that, so we're aiming to get some information out of them about this whole mess and where we can find Nemesis. Maybe even this '<em>truth<em>' we're supposed to find."  
>"Sounds like a good place to start," Madeline said supportively. "Just... be careful," she added weakly, knowing it wasn't necessary.<br>"Always," he laughed. Madeline sighed with a smiled as the hint of familiar sarcasm in his tone.  
>The Iris-message faltered on both sides of the image.<br>"That's our cue," Connor said reluctantly, taking in as much of Madeline's image as he could. He needed it to hold on to; any time without her felt like far too long.  
>He genuinely hated that he couldn't feel her warmth. The way the fading sunset made her caramel skin and dark curls glow felt like torture to look at. She looked beautiful and Connor hated that he wasn't there to tell her that. He couldn't hold her or kiss her to let her know. He didn't want to leave Madeline alone and wanted to be without her even less. He thought of the way she would make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when she would smile at him, and send chills down his spine when she would kiss him and run her fingers through his hair like she knew drove him crazy. The thing he missed the most was the uncontrollable warmth that spread through his body when she laughed. Everything about her, he loved unfathomably, and missed it even more.<br>"Call when you can," Madeline told him. "And tell Drew I say hi."  
>Of course, Travis and Connor were the ones in the immediate danger, what with the prophecy foretelling of one of their deaths, but Drew was still a part of the quest. Madeline imagined she must feel forgotten.<br>"I will. Try not to miss me too much," he replied, a hint of teasing in his voice. Madeline laughed through her nose, smiling lopsidedly at him.  
>"As if that's possible," she said. As the image started to fade, she said tenderly, "I love you."<br>"I love you, too, Mads," Connor said with a small smile as the mist faded and the Iris-message ended.  
>Madeline, still staring at the space in front of her where the image had been a moment before, took a deep breath.<br>"It'll be okay," she told herself quietly. Nothing she said though could make the fragile feeling deep inside her disappear.

Katie was waiting on the porch of the Big House when Madeline walked out.  
>"They're good so far," Katie pointed out.<br>Madeline smiled and silently agreed.

* * *

><p>The sun was nearly gone for the day, Camp Half-Blood drenched in its deep colors. Madeline put away the hoof pick and pet Porkpie a goodbye. She felt tired after the Iris-message with Connor. It could also be that last night she had barely been able to sleep. She had closed her eyes and tried to be calm, but sleep would not come.<br>As she turned to leave the large stable, Porkpie whinnied and spread his wings, occupying the open space with great white feathers.  
>"You haven't been out for a while, have you?" Madeline asked mischievously.<br>No one was paying attention to her and Porkpie, and it wasn't _terribly_ against the rules.  
>Before the idea of chickening out crossed her mind, Madeline grabbed the riding equipment and suited Porkpie up, working around his excited movements.<br>She swung her leg over the tall creature and held on tight to the reins. Before a second passed, Porkpie dashed out of the stable, nearly causing Madeline to fall off his back.  
>Several campers yelped from surprise as the blurred Pegasus sped by them and burst into the sky.<br>The pair rose higher and higher into the sky, the wind screaming in her ears.  
>Madeline let out a joyful laugh. Porkpie did a spiral in the air to show his happiness.<br>"Don't be a show off," Madeline scolded him, screaming over the wind. "You'll get us in trouble!"  
><em>'More than we already are,'<em> Madeline added in her head. She didn't have the clearance to ride outside of classes, but she wasn't worried at the moment.  
>She'd had flying lessons before with the Aphrodite children, but never before had she ridden so freely.<br>It felt like a wonderful dream, where all the burdensome reality in the world didn't matter or even exist.  
>Madeline let Porkpie fly where he wanted and enjoyed the ride. She was sure if she tried to instruct him, he'd ignore her anyway. Pegasi were very proud, strong-willed creatures.<p>

They flew over the forest, by the lake, past the Big House, and even over the Climbing Wall. They soared over all of Camp Half-Blood, the beautiful sunset painting a wondrous picture all around them.  
>Madeline felt a bit saddened when she pulled Porkpie around to land back on the ground, but unfortunately, they couldn't stay gone forever. They gracefully touched down in an open space in the crowd of campers.<br>It was slightly normal, so no one payed them much attention as they trotted casually back to the stables.  
>A boy was walking through the crowd, and from her height on Porkpie's back, Madeline could see his head was down and everyone left him a wide berth to walk by in. He looked up and met Madeline's gaze.<br>Madeline smiled kindly at him, but her expression turned serious when Porkpie suddenly whinnied loudly out of fear and reared up on his hind legs. He spread his wings and punched out his front hooves.  
>Many campers screamed and gasped as they jumped out of the way, leaving a safe distance between them and the spooked Pegasus.<br>"Porkpie!" Madeline shouted. She didn't dare let go of the reins, her hands and arms aching from the effort; better to be on the horse's back than be trampled under his hooves.  
>The boy stepped forward for a moment before hesitating and retreating even further than the other campers.<br>Porkpie's terror was still controlling him and he continued to rear onto his hind legs, flapping his wings uncontrollably.  
>A few campers tried to help, but they couldn't get close enough.<br>Madeline closed her eyes, still holding onto the reins with white knuckles, and willed vines to burst from the ground. A few shocked campers in the surrounding crowd gasped and yelped in surprise. The vines grew quickly around Porkpie's legs and restrained him. He whinnied in protest, but now campers could get close enough to assist the situation.  
>Percy walked forward and spoke calmly to the Pegasus.<br>"He's not going to hurt you," Percy said firmly.  
>Porkpie whinnied in response.<br>"Just calm down and Madeline will let you out. You're going to hurt someone if you don't. C'mon Porkpie. Calm down."  
>The Pegasus closed his wings slowly and lowered his head, huffing from exhaustion.<br>Percy closed the distance and placed his hand on Porkpie's head, petting him as other campers moved forward to help.  
>Madeline let the vines fall away and apologized to Porkpie.<br>"I had to do something," she said guiltily.  
>Porkpie huffed quietly.<br>Percy, being able to understand him, rolled his eyes.  
>"He forgives you. You're not the one that spooked him. Besides, he enjoyed the ride, though it wasn't exactly<em> following the rules<em>." Madeline smiled sheepishly but knew Percy wasn't scolding her, the smirk on his face evident. She was curious as to what he meant when he said she wasn't at fault, but didn't asked. She calmed herself down with a few deep breaths before swinging off of Porkpie.  
>The campers around them returned to their normal activities and Percy took Porkpie back to the stables.<br>Madeline stayed behind and took care of the monstrous vines that covered the pathway; they had needed to be strong enough to restrain a raging stallion. The massive plants retreated back into the ground as Madeline crouched down and touched the earth.  
>Using her powers still drained her and she felt their effect immediately as a feeling of extreme fatigue spread through her body. She knew the best thing to do would be to get to dinner and then rest.<br>Madeline stood up and looked around, though no one was paying her any attention again. She was glad too; the less attention this event got the less chance there was of her getting in trouble for it. Someone could have seriously gotten hurt because she had taken Porkpie out for a joyride. It had been stupid of her. Reckless.  
>She walked forward for a few steps before staggering, her legs giving out beneath her. Her hands went to her dizzy head as she fell. Madeline knew she was about to hit the ground, but was too light-headed to react. She was surprised when a pair of strong hands grabbed her shoulders and held her up.<br>Still looking down with her head in her hands and her eyes closed, Madeline said, "Thanks."  
>The voice of a boy spoke back; "Sorry about all that."<br>Madeline slowly opened her eyes and looked up so as to not make herself dizzy. She found herself looking at a handsome boy a few inches taller than herself.  
>He was pale with shaggy, dark hair and even darker eyes. He wasn't wearing the usual orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. Instead, he wore a black t-shirt, dark jeans, and an aviator's jacket. On one of his white hands he wore a silver skull ring and at his side hanging from a chain belt he had a sword as black as a nightmare. Madeline didn't let her eyes linger on it too long; it was quite frightening.<br>"Madeline," she said, holding out her hand for a handshake. The boy kept his hands at his sides and just looked at her outstretched one for a moment before looking back up to her face. She let it drop.  
>"Anyway, don't be sorry for what happened with Porkpie. It wasn't anyone's fault. Horses can get spooked over anything."<br>"I guess so. Death especially freaks them out."  
>Madeline raised her eyebrows in question.<br>"Nico di Angelo, son of Hades. Nice to meet you."


	50. Little Soldier Girl

**_The_** son of Hades. The sole living child of the God of the Underworld. Madeline's mind flashed to Cabin #13.  
>It had blazing green Greek fire torches, a death-white skull over the heavy blackwood doors, and cold, black obsidian walls that gave off an even colder aura. She didn't think anyone could call it a home.<br>"That's a fancy cabin you have," she said tactfully. Nico smirked. Madeline was sure it was innocent enough, but it looked dangerous.  
>"Thanks. I built it myself," Nico replied.<br>"Really?"  
>"Yeah. With the help of some friends from down under," he added.<br>Madeline was pretty sure he wasn't referring to Australia.  
>"Oh," she replied curiously. "Anyways, don't feel bad about the accident. I suppose it's not your fault horses... don't like you," she added with a smirk.<br>"It was nice meeting you, Nico," Madeline said politely._ 'Besides the initial event_, she added mentally, causing a smile to grow on her face. "Well, I should get to dinner. I'm a bit drained."  
>"Sure," Nico nodded. "I'll see you around, I guess."<br>Madeline nodded and turned around, leaving to the dinning pavilion.

* * *

><p>She stared at the smooth marble floor in the middle of the dinning pavilion where a thin gray scar spread through the stone. Madeline had heard that it was because of Nico di Angelo, who until now had been a faceless figure whose name she had only heard a few times. Through her time at Camp Half-Blood, she had vaguely come to know this stranger -though she had never given it much thought- as the strange, isolated, unwelcoming son of one of the Big Three, particularly the least liked of the Big Three; Hades.<br>All the children of the Big Three were known by all, even if you didn't know them personally. They were a part of Demigod history; their existence had been forbidden because of The First Great Prophecy of the new age, which they were the center of. Everyone who was anyone in the supernatural world had that prophecy memorized:

_A half-blood of the eldest gods  
>shall reach sixteen against all odds<br>And see the world in endless sleep  
>The hero's soul, cursed blade shall reap<br>A single choice shall end his days  
>Olympus to preserve or raze<em>

They all knew what it meant now, the once be-all end-all prophecy that had been given almost a century ago.  
>Now there was a new one to take its place, whose words constantly echoed in Madeline's head.<br>She knew the wonderful Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. And she had heard of Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus, though she had never met her. Madeline knew that Thalia's Pine was indeed Thalia's and that she was a huntress now, a maiden of Artemis. Now she had met possibly the... darkest was a good word, of the children of the Big Three, Nico di Angelo.

* * *

><p>Nico was stopping by for the few days out of the year that he felt obliged to endure at Camp Half-Blood. Though he had never felt welcome, he didn't hate the place like everyone thought he did.<br>All the campers had cheered for him after the war, but if you come into battle with a hundred undead soldiers to save the day, you're everyone's best friend, regardless of who you are all other times.  
>No matter how many times Chiron and Percy and his few friends told him otherwise, it didn't change the isolated feeling he always had, even outside of the camp for demigods.<br>Everyone, even regular mortals, could sense, could _feel_ that he was different, even more so than other demigods and the other Big Three children.  
>He was the son of Hades, God of the Underworld. Prince of the Dead. Hades was known by all, at least to some extent, no matter how small. The Devil, to most.<br>Nico could barely be accepted in the world as a Demigod, much less as the son of the Devil.

Before going to dinner, which he dreaded to imagine, sitting alone at his accursed table, Nico stopped by his cabin.  
>His single king-sized bed sat on the far end of the dark room, covered in fancy, deep shaded silk and luxurious fabrics. A dark sort of light was cast around the room by large, blazing, Greek fire torches. The heavy black drapes were drawn in front of the windows around the cabin, keeping it even darker; just the way Nico liked it. He put away his Stygian Iron sword.<br>He could tell Madeline had been frightened by it, but she hadn't disliked him because of it. She seemed like a nice girl, the kind of person he couldn't stand to be around. But he didn't dislike her either. She had a warm smile, even after he had nearly gotten her trampled.  
>Drifting away from the thought, Nico tossed his aviator's jacket onto his bed.<br>The relaxing mattress and tempting sheets were so inviting; he was tired from his shadow travel to Camp Half-Blood from Hades' Palace, but he knew he had to get to dinner. He may not be the most consistent camper, but he was still a camper, nonetheless, and the rules still applied to him while he was there. Chiron made sure to remind him of that. Nico thought it was his way of trying to make him fit in a bit more with everyone else, keep him from being anti-social. He appreciated the effort.  
>As he turned to leave his cabin, Nico noticed the small object on the mantle of the fireplace where he had rested his sword. It was the Hades figurine from Mythomagic. It never left the cabin, not anymore. Percy had given it to him after the war. His late sister had gotten it for him, which had actually caused her tragic death. He didn't like to dwell on the memories and turned away, leaving the cabin and making his way to the dinning pavilion.<p>

Just as he knew it would, the large room grew quiet when Nico entered. Keeping his head down and his hands in his pockets, he collected his dinner and made his offering. He gave a good piece of his steak to Hades' brazier, the only god he could think to make an offering to. Nico went and sat down at the empty Hades table and went on to eat his food.  
>Madeline had been brought out from her thoughts when the room hushed and everyone's eyes turned to the front of the pavilion. Madeline watched Nico di Angelo until he sat down alone at his table. He looked terribly lonely. She had only ever heard of one time when a camper had broken the table rule. That had been Annabeth, but those had been bad times and Madeline decided now wasn't an exception like then had been, though she had a strong urge to go to him.<br>She didn't talk much to any of her siblings besides the passing of the salt or a small mumble in reply to a conversation she wasn't really trying to be a part of. She simply didn't have anything to say like she used to.  
>At the campfire, Madeline noticed Nico walking past the gathering, and walking towards the cabins. She got up and jogged after him.<br>"Hey!" she called after him.  
>He assumed the call was for someone else and kept walking, head down and hands in his jean pockets as usual.<br>Madeline tilted her head in confusion and called, "Nico!"  
>He turned around at that and watched at her approaching figure. After a moment of hesitation he walked towards her and met her halfway.<br>"You're not coming to the campfire?" she asked curiously.  
>"Uh," Nico hesitated, taken aback. "No. Not really my thing."<br>"Oh," Madeline replied. "What a shame."  
>"Yeah," Nico said awkwardly.<br>"Well, if you decide to join the campfire, you're welcome to sit with me. And the rest of the Demeter cabin. Since, you know, you don't have any blood brothers or sisters. Unless there's something we don't know," she joked.  
>Nico raised an eyebrow and nodded. He knew her joke was innocent, but his mind wandered to Bianca.<br>_'I don't have any brothers or sisters **anymore**_,' he silently corrected her.  
>"Well, I'll see you around then," Madeline said lightly. "Goodnight, I suppose."<br>"Goodnight," Nico replied, turning around and walking to his cabin.  
>He looked over his shoulder and watched her walk away. He almost turned around and followed her, but he knew he'd regret not resting in the morning.<p>

Sure enough, as soon as his head hit the pillow, Nico was asleep. Being such a heavy sleeper, it was like he was dead to the world.

* * *

><p>After a brief introduction from Percy, the class began training.<br>"Has anyone seen Nico?" he called out to the the group.  
>"He's probably still passed out in his cabin," someone replied.<br>After a moment of hesitation, Madeline said, "I can go get him."  
>"Sure," Percy said exasperatedly, sighing. "And tell him to hurry up, would you?"<p>

A few minutes later, Madeline found herself standing in front of Cabin #13's door for the first time in her life. She hesitantly reached up and grabbed the antique looking skull doorknocker and hit the door a few times loudly with it, feeling like a trespasser.  
>After a moment, a disheveled Nico opened the door and stood just where the sunlight fell away to shadow.<br>He was shirtless, his hair was messed up from sleep, and he had obviously just woken up.  
>Madeline laughed and asked, "You've been asleep this whole time?"<br>Nico shrugged and yawned.  
><em>'Boys,' <em>she thought to herself, her mind wandering to the memory of Connor waking up in the morning.  
>"Well," she continued, clearing her throat, "Percy wants you at sword training. You know, the place most campers go when they wake up <em>before<em> noon."  
>"What can I say," Nico replied. "It's hard work being me."<br>Madeline smiled at him and said, "I'll see you at practice. Percy's order, not mine."  
>She turned and began to walk back down the steps.<br>"If you're gonna be at Camp, might as well do it right," she teased, calling over her shoulder as she walked away.  
>Nico watched her go for a moment before closing the large door. He felt himself almost smile at her joking.<br>He cleaned up and got dressed, putting on a black t-shirt instead of the usual bright orange Camp Half-Blood shirt. The Greek writing and Pegasus were still there of course, in a different shade of black.  
>Grabbing his black sword and slipping it into its sheath, Nico left his cabin and headed to training.<p>

The son of Hades stepped through the large archway and into the arena.  
>Percy was observing the class, his arms crossed over his chest and his eyebrows furrowed in thought. He turned to Nico as he approached him and narrowed his eyes.<br>"You're late," he said sternly. His face softened into a grin as he clapped Nico on the shoulder and added, "I've been waiting to duel my old partner."  
>Nico smirked at him.<br>"Don't tell me I'm you're only friend. Is Grover too busy being Pan's Chosen Lord of the Wild?"  
>"Sure," Percy replied sarcastically. "You know Grover. He's a lover, not a fighter."<br>"And is Annabeth still kicking your butt?"  
>"Well, you know Annabeth, too," he said simply.<br>They both chuckled.  
>"I wouldn't be fair," Nico said simply.<br>"I could go easy on you," Percy teased, "if that's what you're implying."  
>"I meant," Nico smirked, "I don't want to upstage you in front of your own class."<br>Percy laughed and shook his head at his younger friend.  
>They were the same height now. Nico was no longer the little boy Percy had met a few years ago. He had changed a lot since then, in more than one way. Now they both stood at 6' tall, challenging each other like the old friends they were, though they were more like brothers.<br>"I'll take my chances," Percy told him back, pulling the familiar pen from his pocket and uncapping it. The seemingly ordinary pen elongated into a 3-foot long celestial bronze sword.  
>Nico raised his sword to meet Percy's. The class took notice of the brewing duel and turned their attention to the two.<br>Percy rarely battled in class, being the instructor.  
>Madeline turned towards Percy and Nico as well. The class stepped back and eagerly watched, everyone excitedly chatting and placing their drachmas on who they thought would win.<br>Percy may be the best swordsman at Camp, but Nico trained in the underworld.  
>Percy and Nico glanced at the surrounding crowd.<br>They nodded at each other and squared up for battle.  
>"Ready?" Percy taunted.<br>"Are you?" Nico called back, his voice oozing with smugness.  
>The pair grinned at each other and charged.<br>They made sure it was a fierce battle, bringing their swords around again and again with all of their strength. The sweet and dangerous sound of clashing metal brought up chants and rowdy calls from the onlookers.  
>They were both careful not to draw blood from one another, especially Nico with his nightmarish, essence-sucking blade, but were far from gentle.<br>With every advance from one there was a counter-attack from the other, the battle seeming like it would never end.  
>Percy got Nico off balance and knocked him to the ground, sending him onto his back with a jab of his sword. As Percy brought his blade down for what looked like the final move of the battle, Nico rolled out of the way and hit Percy with the blunt end of his sword's hilt on the back of the shoulder, earning a groan from the crowd of riled up teenagers.<br>Percy maneuvered the loss of his own balance into a somersault, quickly getting back up and slashing with his sword again. He moved to disarm Nico with one of the first moves he'd been taught at Camp, but Nico anticipated this and did the same. Both of their swords were sent flying and stabbed the ground a few feet away. They stood frozen for a moment before turning and running in opposite directions to retrieve their weapons. When they turned around to meet their opponent, they both found a sword's tip at their hearts. They both held their swords locked and aimed for the kill for a moment before grinning and dropping their weapons.  
>The crowd groaned and cheered at the good show as they clapped each other on the shoulders, breathing heavy from the fight.<br>"You can't expect to beat me with _that_ move, Perce," Nico told him. "Not when you're the one who drilled it into my head."  
>"A great sword fighter taught it to me. I have faith in that move."<br>They both looked away for a moment at the thought of the deceased camper they had known. Luke had once been the best swordsman at Camp Half-Blood.  
>They rehydrated after the battle and the class dispersed back to their usual training.<p>

Madeline stood several yards away from the training dummy and took a deep breath. Focusing and aiming at the target's chest, she pulled back her bronze daggers and threw them. They ripped through the air and pierced the dummy's canvas flesh.  
>She smiled a bit when she saw a dagger buried in the bulls-eye, but quickly frowned when she saw the other one had only grazed the shoulder and was sticking out from the ground. She sighed and walked over to retrieve her daggers, fiercely ripping them from their places.<br>"Why are you frowning?" Nico asked her, walking over to her and nodding towards the dummy. "You hit the bull's eye."  
>"With only one of my daggers though," Madeline replied calmly, turning to meet his eyes. "That's not enough. In a real battle-" she stopped abruptly, her words getting trapped in her throat.<br>Nico noticed but didn't show any alarm. He had seem something flash across her face for a very brief moment.  
>Madeline cleared her throat and turned away.<br>"Either they're dead or you are," she finished with a shrug, trying to appear nonchalant.  
>Anyone else might have been fooled by the calm look she put on her face when she turned away, but Nico could sense there was something else there. He furrowed his brow for a quick moment as he looked at her while she looked towards the training dummy she was victimizing.<br>She looked back at him with a soft sigh and smiled lightly.  
>"Cool sword, by the way," she said casually, looking down at the dark weapon that he was resting his hand on.<br>Nico smirked a bit, knowing that she was trying to change the subject.  
>"Thanks," he replied, holding it flat on his palms.<br>Madeline glanced up at Nico and then back to the blade. She raised her hand up to the blade and almost touched it, but instead left her hand hovering a hair's distance away from the black metal.  
>"It's cold," she said curiously.<br>"Yeah. It's from...down below," he explained, lowering the peculiar sword.  
>"What's it made from then?" she asked. "I mean, I know there's Celestial Bronze and Imperial Gold, but what's this?"<br>"It's Stygian Iron," he answered, "unique to the Underworld."  
>"Cool," she said again. With a smirk she added, "How good is it in a fight?"<br>"Weren't you watching?" he jokingly scolded her.  
>"I saw you <em>tie<em> with Percy," she mocked lightly. "A for effort though," she added with a genuine smile.  
>Nico fought the urge to smile as he looked at her.<br>_'She's pretty_,' he thought, '_and with a decent sense of humor.'  
><em>"You can't really know much from the outside looking in," she told him, spinning her daggers dangerously with a wicked smirk, challenging him.  
>He thought about it for a moment before turning around and walking a few paces back. He turned around and saw that Madeline was set up for battle, too.<br>Nico took a deep breath and raised his sword, pointing it at Madeline who was a few feet away.  
>"Don't hurt yourself," he said bluntly.<br>"I'll try my best," she responded.  
>After a heartbeat's pause, they charged.<br>Nico slashed at where she had been, but Madeline had moved out of the way quicker than he could have imagined. He turned around to face her and swung his sword up. Madeline dodged the blade, seeing her own reflection in its dark surface as it missed her face by less than an inch. While his arm was still outstretched, Madeline used the flat of her twin blades to twist Nico's wrists, causing him to involuntarily drop his blade. She kicked the blade and sent it skidding away, leaving Nico weaponless. Before she could end the battle with a final attack, Nico swiftly knocked her legs out from under her with his own, quickly sending her to the ground and rushing to retrieve his sword.  
>Madeline groaned as she hit the ground on her back but quickly recovered and gasped, somersaulting backwards as Nico's sword sliced the ground where she had been a moment before.<br>"You'll dull your blade doing that!" Madeline scolded him, smirking as she blocked another attack with her daggers.  
>Nico smirked too, spinning his sword that she was blocking with her knives and sending them flying out of her hands. Madeline jumped back as he surged forward and dove for her daggers on the ground. Nico pounced on her, pinning her down.<br>Out of the corner of his eye, he could see her dagger gleaming on the ground in the sunlight. He held his sword at her throat and smirked proudly.  
>"Dead," he proclaimed.<br>Madeline grinned back at him.  
>"That makes two," she replied, winking at him.<br>Nico felt the tip of a blade poke against his stomach. Looking down, he saw Madeline holding one of her daggers in her hand, aimed at the center of his guts.  
>He raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed, and hopped up, offering his hand to Madeline to help her up.<br>She took it and then grabbed her second dagger, sliding them both into their sheaths at her waist with a small smile.  
>"You're quite the little fighter," he told her, turning and walking to get a cloth to clean his blade.<br>Madeline scoffed indignantly, following him to the benches.  
>"<em>Little?<em>" she objected.  
>"It was a compliment," he replied with a smirk, looking up at her as he sat and polished his sword. "You're supposed to take it." Madeline sighed dramatically and sat down next to him.<br>"I suppose I can compromise my dignity to accept a compliment this one time," she said, picking up a water bottle and taking a drink.  
>In the distance, the Camp Half-Blood horn was blown, signaling it was time to switch training activities. The sword fighting class ended their battles and emptied the arena.<br>"I have racing with the Dryads next," Madeline told him, waling out of the arena.  
>"I don't really have a schedule," he said. "I guess I'll tag along."<br>"You're welcome to," Madeline said with a smile. "But you don't seem like a runner, no offense."  
>Nico thought about it for a moment as they walked through the flow of campers.<br>"You're right about that," he told her, smirking to himself.


	51. Shadows

They stood at the edge of the forest, facing the scenery of tall trees that stretched far up to the sky and as far as the eye could see into the distance, out towards the sea.  
>Madeline reached down to her toes, stretching her lean muscles and getting ready for her run through the woods, along with several other campers and the undefeated dryads who literally <em>always<em> won the races. The forest was their natural element, and they were spirits of nature, existing to flow with their surroundings; this meant they were immune to stumbling and tripping in the woods like the unfortunate campers. They also didn't get cramps.  
>Madeline was one of the best runners, maybe even the fastest, always coming in the lead -after the dryads of course. She breezed through the woods, never a falter in her flight through the dense trees and opulent forest floor. Not only did she have a connection with nature, being a daughter of Demeter and being gifted with botanokinesis, but she was also small and nimble, a natural runner.<br>Nico leaned on a nearby tree and waited for the race began.  
>"You seem relaxed," Madeline observed suspiciously.<br>"I guess I am," he said slyly.  
>She straightened up and narrowed her eyes at Nico.<br>"You _are_ going to race, right?" she asked.  
>"Of course I'm going to race," Nico answered, standing from the tree and joining the starting line.<br>"Okay guys," Juniper the dryad said cheerfully, "you know the rules. No sabotaging any of the other racers, basic stuff like that, etcetera etcetera. First to Zeus' Fist wins."  
>They all nodded in understanding, positioning for the race.<br>"On your mark," Juniper called out, "get set...Go!"  
>The group of campers shot into the woods, racing towards the pile of boulders deep in the Camp Half-Blood forest. Madeline wore a broad grin on her face as she ran, feeling light and free. She glanced around her, trying to spot Nico, but didn't succeed.<br>It was difficult to spot the moving campers in the woods anyway, even when you're not speeding yourself.  
>'<em>I'll see him at the finish line<em>,' Madeline thought to herself, her feet hitting the ground and carrying her closer to her destination. After several minutes, the clearing that held Zeus' Fist was visible in the distance, giving Madeline a new burst of energy as she reached the pile of rocks just after the dryads. With a proud smile, she sat down on the ground and leaned against the cool rock, breathing heavy and resting.  
>"Good job, Madeline," Birka said with a smile, one of the many dryads Madeline was familiar with. She was friends with them all, actually.<br>"Thanks," she said between breathes. "I'm looking forward to the day when I beat you guys, too."  
>The dryads all laughed at her friendly comment.<br>"Keep dreaming," Juniper replied.  
>"Speaking of," Birka said, a hint of concern in her kind voice, "did you sleep well last night, Madeline?"<br>Madeline took a deep breath and simply nodded with a smile small.  
>Within the next minute, the other campers broke through the edge of trees, groaning with defeat when they saw whoever had reached the finish line before them. When nearly everyone was there, Madeline scanned the group of demigods and failed to find the one she had been waiting for the whole time.<br>"Where's Nico?" she asked, confusion in her voice.  
>Had he not run the race, staying back at main camp?<br>'_What kind of joke is that'_, Madeline thought to herself. Maybe Nico was weirder than she thought, or maybe just much less friendly than she had hoped-  
>"I've been here the whole time," a voice said from above Madeline, ripping her from her thoughts. She nearly jumped out of her skin. Holding back a scream, she jumped up from her spot on the ground, turning around to face Zeus' Fist. She looked, confused shocked on her face, at Nico as he sat nonchalantly in a shadowed area atop one of the large boulders.<br>"_What?_" Madeline asked in disbelief.  
>"I've been here the whole time," Nico repeated, jumping down from the rock he had been reclining on. Madeline scoffed and looked at him with a smirk.<br>"How?" she asked, crossing her arms.  
>"I can shadow travel," he replied simply. Madeline rolled her eyes at him and shook her head with a small laugh.<br>"And that's not worth _mentioning_ before?" she scolded him. "That's awesome."  
>Nico smiled lightly and nodded proudly.<br>"Thanks," he said quietly.  
>"How does it work?" she asked curiously, glancing at the shadowy spot Nico had been resting in.<br>"I'm not completely sure," Nico admitted. "But from what I understand, it's like I can use shadows as doors. I can pass into one and out through another anywhere in the world."  
>Madeline thought about it for a moment before smiling and saying, "it's an Eco-friendly form of transportation."<br>Nico looked strangely at her.  
>"I guess so," he replied. "It's exhausting though. I've gotten a lot better at it, but one of the first times I did it, I ended up in China and passed out for a week."<br>"Pretty impressive," she joked. "So you're definitely _not_ a runner," she added with a grin.  
>"Definitely," he agreed.<br>"Okay," Juniper called out. "Good job everyone. Time for the race back to Camp."  
>Many campers groaned in complaint.<br>"The day you win the race is the day you can don't have to race anymore," Birka replied with a grin.  
>Everyone laughed darkly, getting ready to race back to main camp.<br>"So I guess I'm done," Nico said lightly.  
>"Says the cheater," Madeline replied.<br>"Hey," Nico rebutted with a shrug, "it's a race."  
>Madeline rolled her eyes and said, "You could at least try to run like the rest of us mere demigods."<br>"Or not," he replied.  
>Madeline sighed and turned to join the race again.<br>"Wait," Nico said, "you're gonna run?"  
>"Yeah," Madeline replied, confused.<br>"Were you not listening at all to the conversation we _just_ had?"  
>"Oh," she said, catching on. "Well, I didn't know it was an invitation."<br>"Consider yourself invited then," he said as the campers ran off into the woods, holding his hand out to Madeline. "Just hold on and keep up with me."  
>Madeline hesitated before taking hold of his hand. His long fingers closed over hers.<br>"Ready?" he asked, turning to face a shadowed area of Zeus' Fist.  
>"I guess so," she said nervously, "but-"<br>Nico cut her off and began to run forward, straight towards the solid rock, pulling Madeline along with him. She screamed just as she expected them to collide with the rock, but instead felt herself pass through into something she had never felt before. It felt like they were going at the speed of light, her hair being blown back and her skin feeling as if it would rip off her face, but she only felt her legs moving at the normal speed of a run. The air was cold.  
>After a moment, they broke out of the dark coldness and into the daylight, falling out of a shadow. Nico actually stayed standing solid on the ground and caught Madeline as <em>she<em> fell. She straightened herself and regained her balance, sucking in a deep breath.  
>"Oh my gods," she said with wide eyes.<br>Nico smirked at her surprise. "Did I not tell you to hold your breath?"  
>"You didn't tell me anything!" she responded, turning around and gasping.<br>"I thought it'd be better for you to experience it for yourself," he replied with a shrug. None of the other racers had returned yet.  
>"How long does shadow travel take in real time?" she asked curiously, looking into the woods to where they had come from.<br>"I'd say less than a minute," he replied.  
>"Efficient," she replied.<br>"You're welcome," Nico said graciously.  
>"Yeah, thanks for helping me <em>cheat<em>," she joked. "We should go. It'd be easier than explaining why we're already back. And I couldn't bare the shame of being known as a cheater," she added.  
>Nico only smiled faintly. He never really laughed, Madeline noticed.<br>"I'm gonna head to the fields," she told him.  
>"I haven't been there in a while," he replied, walking next to her, his hands in his pocket.<br>"So you're not one for manual labor, either?" she asked with a smirk. "Do all of your Daddy's undead butlers take care of everything down under?"  
>"More like I'm not one for colorful fruit," he replied. "I've grown to dislike them, being around Persephone's garden enough in the Underworld."<br>"I bet it's beautiful," she said lightly. "I"  
>Nico raised his eyebrows at her comment.<br>'_I don't really think about gardens like that_,' he thought to himself, '_but being a daughter of Demeter, you must_.'  
>"Yeah," he said aloud, "I guess."<br>Madeline chuckled. "You're not on good terms with Persephone?" she asked.  
>"She doesn't like me more than I don't like her," he answered wisely. "I mean, my dad <em>did<em> kidnap her. She's my stepmother against her will."  
>"I don't know how I can hang out with you anymore," she joked. "I can't befriend the enemy of my mother's favorite daughter, much less my own half-sister."<br>Nico rolled his eyes.  
>"Have you even met either of them?" he asked Madeline.<br>She felt sick thinking about that day at her house, the day when it all began to break, and just stared ahead, wiping all emotion from her face as she fought the urge to scream. When she didn't answer, Nico glanced sideways at her.  
>"Yeah," Madeline finally answered in a casual tone, surprised that she was able to lie sow well. "Just once," she added with a nonchalant shrug.<br>Nico disregarded her second of hesitation and continued the conversation.  
>"You're lucky," he said casually. "Most kids of the gods never even get to meet their parents."<br>Madeline clenched her jaw before replying.  
>"Yeah," she mumbled lightly, "lucky."<br>They reached the expansive strawberry fields and passed through the gate.  
>Madeline inhaled the sweet, calming scent of the plant life around her and felt better, wiping away the faint ache in her chest as she picked up a basket.<br>"I think the fields are nice," she said happily, Nico following behind her as they walked down the rows. "I think I actually prefer strawberries to grapes. We only have them since Mr. D. isn't allowed near grapes, given his, uh, punishment. But they're much sweeter than grapes," she added, the memory of Connor's lips always tasting like them faintly calling to her.  
>Madeline turned down an empty row, walking to the middle. It was a measlier row, caught in the shadow of the other rows of strawberries. The fruit buds were small and struggling, their growth hindered.<br>Madeline smiled faintly and ran her fingers over them, encouraging them. In response, they turned deeper shades of red and pink, as if they were blushing, and grew into the plump strawberries they were meant to be. Nico watched and raised his eyebrows in surprise.  
>"Cool trick," he said, impressed.<br>"Thanks," she said humbly, plucking one and holding it out to Nico.  
>He took it hesitantly and took a bite. It tasted delicious.<br>"They're good," he said, daunted.  
>"I suppose my method is better than artificial fertilizer," she said, continuing to pluck the fruit from the bush, which had turned a deep, healthy shade of green in her presence.<br>Nico went to help, but pulled his hand back when he saw the leaves around his fingers begin to darken to shades of black. He put his hands back into his pocket and looked away from the spot, back to Madeline.  
>"Do you not like it here at Camp?" Madeline asked suddenly.<br>Nico was taken back by her question and looked curiously at her.  
>"What?" he questioned.<br>"I just mean, well, you don't spend much time here," she explained, shrugging. "I've never met you before this."  
>Nico didn't speak for a moment before replying.<br>"It's just that... people," he said slowly. "I mean, I don't fit in much."  
>"I don't completely believe that," Madeline replied, placing a few strawberries into the basket on the ground.<br>Nico furrowed his eyebrows.  
>"What do you mean?" he said defensively. He didn't know how else to react.<br>"I mean," she said placidly, "if you don't fit in here, with all of us, where will you? We're here for a reason, Nico. We _are_ the freaks ones in the world, all together. We're all the ones with the hard lives. If you don't fit in, how much are you really trying?"  
>Nico frowned at this and looked at her. He opened his mouth to protest, but closed it and thought about her words.<br>Madeline looked back at him and smiled weakly.  
>"I didn't mean to offend you," she apologized, "but none of us can really use having a hard life as an excuse for anything... anymore."<br>Nico almost thought he heard sadness in her voice and was tempted to call her out on it, but was interrupted by the sound of a horn in the distance.  
>Madeline picked up the basket filled with strawberries and began to walk with it before Nico took it from her arms as compensation for not helping with the picking.<br>"Thanks," she said cordially, giving him soft smile.  
>They walked back to the main gate together in comfortable silence.<p> 


	52. Poppy

Nico sat next to Madeline, surrounded by the rest of Camp Half-Blood at the campfire. Neither of them sang along with the songs; instead they kept up a quiet talk the whole time, lightly joking and talking like they had been all day.  
>The time came for everyone to go to their cabins for the night. The two got up to leave like everyone else, and Nico began to leave towards his cabin with a small goodbye to Madeline before she stopped.<br>"Wait here a minute," she said suddenly, holding up her hands to him as she turned and left. She walked to the Demeter cabin and disappeared inside.  
>Nico awkwardly waited, glancing around him as he wondered what she was doing. After a moment, Madeline came out of the Demeter cabin again, holding a glass vase with a single flower in it. It was a charming little red flower with a bright green stem.<br>Madeline smiled softly at him and held out the vase, nodding encouragingly.  
>A confused look came to Nico's face. He raised an eyebrow and looked at the flower.<br>"You're giving me a flower?" he asked her, amusement hinting in his voice.  
>"For your cabin," Madeline explained. "If you want it," she added.<br>Nico hesitated for a moment, looking at the gift strangely.  
>"Sure," he said skeptically, taking the small vase from her hands. Madeline laughed.<br>"It's a poppy," she told him. "They're supposed to be good for peaceful rest. And they're just cheerful," she continued to explain, "so I thought it'd be good for your cabin. No offense," she teased lightly, "but I don't think anyone can smile in that place. This can just add a bit of color to it. And I take it you're not one for bright colors, so hopefully it's not too much for you."  
>Nico smirked down at the flower and then at Madeline.<br>"Thanks," he said. "I guess I never really considered myself a flower kind of guy."  
>"There's a first for everything," Madeline said. "Well," she added after a moment of silence, "Goodnight, Nico."<br>"Yeah," he said, "Goodnight."  
>She smiled at him before turning and leaving.<br>Nico looked curiously down at his new flower and thought how much it would stick out in his dark cabin.  
>He walked back to the cabin from Hades -literally- and opened the heavy doors, stopping in the doorway and looking around for a spot to keep the little burst of color that was such a strange thing to be in his cabin.<br>Closing the door behind him and flipping on the lights, Nico walked over to an east facing window and pulled back the heavy drapes a little, placing the vase and flower on the window sill. A stripe of moonlight poured in through the small crack in the darkness, falling away just before his bed. He left the curtain open and got ready for sleep, turning off the lights as he collapsed onto his bed.  
>Looking at the red flower one more time before he fell asleep, Nico felt a smile tug at the corner of his lips.<p>

* * *

><p>Unlike everyone else at Camp Half-Blood, Madeline was not asleep by the time the moon was high in the night sky. It had been like this since the day Connor and the others left on their quest.<br>Instead of falling asleep after curfew, she would lie awake in bed until everyone else was and then silently climb up to the soft, green grassed roof of the Demeter cabin. After doing it the first night because she couldn't fall asleep, Madeline found it was the only way she _could_ fall asleep. She was still technically following Camp rules and was safe from the Harpies.  
>Inside the cabin, she would be stuck awake and staring at nothing, her worries weighing down on her until she felt like she was suffocating. But when she was beneath the stars and moon, she felt like she could breathe again, the terrible weight on her chest lifting and drifting away into the night sky, for at least a little while.<br>With her blanket around her and her guitar in her arms, she would softly play its strings, letting her mind clear, until sleep came.  
>If anyone could hear her music, they would be instantly struck by its sadness. Madeline didn't do it on purpose, or was even aware of it. She didn't think it sounded as sad or broken as it did; to her ears, it sounded right. She played what she was feeling.<br>Finally, after gazing at the stars and letter her heart bleed into her guitar, sleep would come.

In the early, misty hours of the morning, Madeline would slowly open her eyes to the sunshine and wonder what would happen today. Would she get a iris message from him, bringing word of how much worse things were getting?  
>Would today be the day when it ended?<br>Then she'd sit up and push those thoughts away, forcing a smile onto her face.  
>One reoccurring thought floated to the surface;<em> It'll be okay.<em>

* * *

><p>Sitting at the table next to her sister Katie, Madeline didn't speak, just like the day before that and the day before that. She had entered the dining pavilion with a warm smile to her siblings, just like any other day of the summer. What was different was her lack of joking, the absence of her laughter that they had all come to know.<br>At first, they had all tried to get her involved in the conversations, but now they were used to her silence. It wasn't that Madeline wanted to worry them or that she was choosing not to speak; she just didn't have anything to say.  
>Then, suddenly, they would see her around camp- talking again, joking again, laughing again- after days of nothing, with Nico.<br>It was a strange thing to see. Unexpected. Who would've thought that that dark, unhappy boy would be the one to help her?  
>And the whole time he thought she was helping him smile.<p>

* * *

><p>Nico heard a loud noise. He rolled over in bed and grabbed his pillow over his face, groaning.<br>Then he heard it again, a loud knocking on his door.  
>He grumbled and slumped out of bed, letting out a big yawn before lethargically walking to the door.<br>He opened it up to a smirking Madeline with her arms crossed over her chest, an eyebrow raised in amusement.  
>"I didn't wake you earlier because I was giving you a chance to wake yourself up," she explained, reaching past Nico and flipping on the lights, making him squint into the light.<br>"I'm not a morning person," he mumbled, turning and walking into his cabin's bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him.  
>Madeline laughed lightly at his grumpiness. She looked curiously around the doorway before taking a small step into the cabin.<br>"Is it okay if I come in?" she called out to Nico, standing by the open door. She heard him call something back, his mouth full with what she guessed was toothpaste as he got ready. It didn't sound like a protest, so she continued to walk forward into the cabin.  
>It was a strange place, she observed. There were low burning, green flamed torches that gave off a strange feeling. Raising her hand to one, she felt no heat come from it, just coldness. Looking around, she noticed a skull on the black wall. It was quite eerie.<br>'_Cozy place you keep_,' Madeline thought. She heard the shower turn on in the bathroom.  
>Walking over to the far side of the cabin, she found the bright red poppy she had given Nico the night before, sitting in the sunlight of the window he had placed it in. Or rather, the previously bright red poppy, seeing as now it was black and withered in its small vase of water. She furrowed her eyebrows sadly at the flower and raised a finger to it, touching it and returning it to its former beauty.<br>'_I guess it _was_ too much for him_,' she thought to herself.  
>She knew better though and came to the conclusion that the death-laced cabin wasn't suited to keep a flower alive.<br>Looking away from the revived poppy flower, she saw his sheathed sword resting beside the dark stoned fireplace. After a moment of hesitation, she walked over to it and reached for the hilt, pulling the black blade out of it's case.  
>It was such a terrifyingly beautiful piece of weaponry. She delicately ran her fingers along it's cold, flawless length. Sunlight pouring in through the open door illuminated Madeline's reflection on the sword. She was a bit startled when she saw her own eyes looking back at her. She furrowed her eyebrows and stayed still, looking at her reflection, back into her own eyes. She wondered if they looked any different. If they had changed from the time before all of this in her life; if <em>she<em> had changed.  
>Hearing the bathroom door open as Nico stepped out, Madeline blinked out of her thoughts and put the swords back into its sheath.<br>"Sorry," she said casually. "I was just admiring it. It really is a cool sword," she added, placing it back against the fireplace.  
>Looking up, she noticed the small figurine on the top of the mantle; it looked lonely and untouched, a faint layer of dust on it.<br>"That's cute," she said, nodding at the mini statue and looking to Nico. He had his eyebrows slightly furrowed, looking at the small thing.  
>Looking back at Madeline's mildly concerned face, he simply said, "It's just part of a game I used to play."<br>Madeline nodded her head, letting the subject drop as it was clear he wanted it to, and handed Nico's sword to him.  
>"We should get going," she said, turning and walking the door at the front of the cabin. She glanced back past Nico as he closed the door to the poppy, silently hoping it would stay alive long enough to do some good.<p>

* * *

><p>"It's not my fault," Madeline defended, a laugh slipping out as Nico sat down next to her in the Arts &amp; Craft tent. He wasn't planning on getting anything done, and since her sculpture was done after all her hard work on it, neither was Madeline. Instead, they sat and joked and laughed as they had become comfortable doing. Or Madeline laughed; by now she knew Nico didn't really laugh. He would smirk lightly and maybe even chuckle quietly, but she hadn't seen him laugh, not once.<br>"I thought you were a good person," he teased bluntly. "But now here I am, learning that you like to throw people into mud puddles."  
>"First of all, I didn't do it. Clarisse tripped <em>herself<em>," Madeline said. "And second of all, that was before she and I were on good terms."  
>"It's the small ones you have to look out for," Nico said simply, raising his eyebrows at her, a smirk escaping his lips for a second. Madeline rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair with a soft smile, looking out of the tent to the rest of Camp Half-Blood.<br>"Hey," Nico snapped suddenly, turning around in his chair. Madeline looked back at him.  
>"Watch where you're going, Barbie," he said to a daughter of Aphrodite who had hit him with the rolled up canvas she was holding.<br>"Don't get so angry, Death Breath," she said, adjusting the canvas. "It was an accident."  
>"What? No sorry?" he bantered.<br>"Nico," Madeline pleaded quietly, barely above a whisper.  
>"I guess it's hard for the entourage to remember things," he continued. "Especially without their queen bee. Where is she, anyway? She hasn't welcomed me yet. Off at Beauty School?"<br>The girl just looked at him, not speaking.  
>"Nico," Madeline said again, her voice sharp and loud this time.<br>"What?" he said with a scowl, turning to look at her.  
>"Stop," she said, aghast. "You don't have to be so mean."<br>"Sorry I'm not a bag of smiles like you all the time," he replied with mock cheerfulness. "I guess it comes naturally to people when everything's always so peachy-keen."  
>Madeline leaned away from him, furrowing her eyebrows with the sting of his words. She blinked at him once before standing abruptly from her chair and leaving the tent, turning and walking away.<br>"Madeline," he called after her apologetically, standing from his chair and immediately regretting being so harsh to her. He knew he had a sour tongue, and mixed with his bad temper, it meant disaster.  
>"Now you've done it," the Aphrodite girl scolded him, looking at him with disgust. "You wanna know where Drew is? Ask Madeline. And while you're at it, why don't you stab her in her heart with that sword of yours. I bet you don't even know how kind she's really been to you, putting up with your bad attitude on top of everything that she's going through. She's probably the nicest girl you'll meet, and you just turned on her after how good she's been to you. And you're wrong, too. Ask anyone at Camp and they'll tell you she's barely spoken the past few days before you got here. And you just ruined that. Congrats."<br>"What are you talking about?" Nico asked her darkly.  
>She scoffed and rolled her eyes, nodding in the direction where Madeline had left.<br>"Like I said. Ask Madeline. I hope you're ashamed of yourself. She doesn't deserve you treating her like that, especially not now."  
>He looked at her for a moment longer, his eyes angry and confused, before turning and leaving to find Madeline.<p>

* * *

><p>Nico found her after what felt like forever of wandering around Camp Half-Blood. She was siting silently under Thalia's pine, the large tree trunk almost hiding her completely as she faced the far-away road. Nico swallowed nervously before walking up Half Blood Hill, stopping a few feet away from her still figure. Not knowing what to say, he cleared his throat loud enough for her to hear and looked pleadingly at her. She had every right to be mad with him. Madeline looked down at her hands before glancing at him slowly and then looking back out at the distant road.<br>"Hey," she said with a sigh, her mood unreadable. Nico looked desperately at her placid face and sat down next to her underneath the large pine. They stayed in silence for a long moment, Nico slowly turning his head to look at Madeline. She was looking down at her hands folded in her lap, her face solid and empty.  
>"I'm sorry," Nico said, regretting terribly making her go so silent. She only nodded, looking up at him and taking a deep breath.<br>He was relieved to see that she wasn't crying. He wouldn't be able to handle crying.  
>"It's okay," she said, offering him a small smile. "Really. I'm fine."<br>Nico furrowed his eyebrows at her. "Then... what's wrong," he asked.  
>"A lot of things," she said looking out to the road and chuckling sadly.<br>Nico sighed and looked out to the road too, shaking his head.  
>"Can't you just be a normal girl and be angry at me? Just yell at me and tell me everything?" Madeline smirked a little bit.<br>"I guess that'd be easier," she said. "But I can't do that. Not without making everything worse."  
>"Why?" he asked, urging her to say anything more than what she was saying now. He had no idea what was going on.<br>"To be honest," Madeline said, finally looking straight at Nico, "because it hurts. To answer your question about where Drew is, she's on a _quest_. With Travis and Connor Stoll. One of them's not coming back."  
>Madeline paused, looking back down at her hands in her lap and swallowing to clear her throat. Nico stared blankly at her. He opened his mouth to talk, but didn't know what to say. Instead, he just kept listening to her speak in her soft voice. They could be talking about the weather with all the calm she had in her voice.<br>"Connor and I are together," she continued.  
>'<em>I wish I could mean that literally<em>' she thought silently, imaging Connor being with her right now.  
>"Either him or Travis is supposed to die on that quest. The Gods are angry at each other, and we- <em>they<em> have to deal with it. One of they has to pay for the gods' anger with their life. And I can't do anything about it, at all. I can't be there with them, and I can't help. So the least I can do is not say anything, so that I don't make things worse. Because it hurts me to even think about it. And people are expecting me to break, because that's what people do when this stuff happens. They're getting ready to worry about me. But I can't do that to anyone, not Katie, not anyone, because I'm not the only one hurting. So I can't let them hurt anymore over me being broken. The least I can do- or the _only_ fucking thing I can do- since I can't do anything to fix any of this, is not break, for everyone else's sake."  
>Nico stayed silent for a while.<br>"You know my sister died, right?"  
>Madeline looked up, confusion in her eyes. She nodded at him, taking her turn to listen.<br>"That little figurine on my fireplace, it's Hades. It's from this game called Mythomagic that I used to play a few years ago. Just a stupid card game. But when it was just me and Bianca, none of this insane stuff, it was actually fun to me. And I would drive her crazy with that game, always talking about it like a complete dork. But she wouldn't get angry with me, never. Not for anything. She would just tease me with it sometimes, because, you know, she was my older sister. But at the end of the day, she would usually play a few rounds with me. She was the only family I had. Then we came here, and we learned about everything, that this stuff was our new reality. And she left me for the hunters. I was so angry with her for leaving me, because we were supposed to stay together. I was just angry about _everything_. And then they all left on that quest, and I was just left here, angry and alone. And scared. Then they came back, but Bianca didn't. Percy gave me that little figurine, said Bianca wanted me to have it, that she found it and thought of me. And then I wasn't angry anymore, because it didn't matter. She hadn't really left me before, but now she had. It wasn't her fault though. It wasn't her choice to leave me.  
>I felt so lost without her. I went crazy trying to find her in the Underworld, just to see her, maybe talk to her, because I needed her. She was my older sister, and I loved her. She was the only thing I loved. Now she's dead. And I've accepted it. It hurt then, and it still hurts. I'm sure it'll always hurt. But you get through it, and life goes on."<br>"I'm sorry," Madeline said quietly when he finished.  
>That surprised Nico; people always say that, but they don't really care. They can't, because they have their own lives to endure. But looking over at Madeline, he could feel that she really did care, even though she definitely had her own pain to endure at the moment.<br>"How can you say that?" he asked.  
>She knew what he was asking and smiled weakly.<br>"Like I said, I know I'm not the only one hurting," she replied. "I really am sorry. I know how it feels, unfortunately. I wish no one had to feel that...like this."  
>Nico looked out to the distant road, so empty.<br>"Our lives are just messed up," Nico said with a shrug.  
>"Yeah," Madeline agreed. "But it'll be okay...I know people say that all the time. But it really will be."<br>"You believe that?" Nico asked, raising an eyebrow to her.  
>"I probably shouldn't," she answered, resting her head against Thalia's Pine, "but yeah, I do. Life sucks, to be honest. But it's also the greatest thing we have. And it goes on, and it'll be okay. It has to be."<br>"You're delusional, Madeline," he said, after a moment of silence. "But you're right."  
>They didn't talk for a while, just sat in silence, the wind blowing lightly on top of Half-Blood Hill.<br>"So," Nico said, "what's this quest about? I guess now I know why my dad's been so grumpy lately. Or more grumpy than usual, I should say."  
>"Nemesis is pissed off," Madeline answered. "Her boyfriend's dead, because of Aphrodite. So now she's building an army against the Olympians. And she doesn't care what she destroys. The three of them are supposed to go and stop her. And either Connor or Travis isn't coming back."<br>"Are you scared?" Nico asked simply.  
>"I don't know," Madeline said truthfully. "I just don't. It's like it's all so beyond me, that I don't even know what to think about it. I can't want one of them to come back. I just can't do that. I can't wish for Connor to come back, because if Travis is the one to go, then Katie's heartbroken. I can't wish that. And Connor would lose his brother. A good, innocent- well, I mean as innocent as a Stoll can be-," she joked sadly, "guy would have to die for all the mistakes that aren't his. But then if he comes home, it would have to be Connor, and... It's just all bad, no matter what ending I try to put on it."<br>"That doesn't scare you?" Nico asked quietly.  
>"It should, shouldn't it?" Madeline replied. "But all I feel is cold inside. Like all this bad stuff is draining me. Or maybe I'm just bracing myself. But I don't feel scared. I almost wish I did though; maybe that'd be better than this cracked feeling I have inside, like I'll shatter any second now."<br>"I don't think you'll ever shatter or go cold," Nico told her slowly, hesitating with his words. "You have a lot inside of you to fight against that. You're good, Madeline. You're strong."  
>"I don't feel strong," she said quietly, near a whisper. "I feel useless. And helpless."<br>"I don't think you're supposed to feel strong," he responded. "No one is, in something like this. But I think... I know, you are."  
>"Maybe I am," Madeline said dully. "But in the end, it doesn't matter if I'm strong or not. I'm not the concern. This isn't about me. In the end, I'll be here, totally safe," she said, bitterness laced in her words. "But one of them isn't. One of them <em>won't<em> be okay. Whether I'm strong or not, whether I break or not, I can't change anything. And that's that. And that's what I hate the most."  
>She looked away from Nico, a pained expression on her face.<br>"I know you don't believe me, and probably don't even want to hear this," Nico said gently after another moment of silence, "but you don't give yourself nearly as much credit as you deserve. Which is a lot, by the way. You'll break yourself doing that. You have a good heart for doing it- for everything, actually- but that might be your fatal flaw."  
>She didn't speak for a long moment.<br>"I guess I'm just stubborn," Madeline said finally, standing from her place beneath Thalia's Pine. She began to walk away before she paused.  
>"Thanks, Nico," she said softly, glancing back at him before leaving.<br>He looked after her, watching the girl he had come to know walk down Half-Blood Hill.  
>She would look so fragile to the naked eye, to someone who hadn't seen her hide her pain so well.<br>To anyone who didn't know she was being her own Poppy flower for everyone else.  
>But he saw the fighter in her.<p> 


	53. Breaking Promises

**{Author's note:} Thank you to all the readers for supporting my story. There are only a few chapters left, and I hope you've enjoyed the journey so far 3  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Madeline waited, her hands pressed against the wood doorway of one of the rooms in the Big House.<br>Chiron sat in front of an Iris message, compressed by his magical wheelchair.  
>On the other side of the Iris message, Drew stood and talked to the centaur. After Katie had finished speaking to Travis, the girl had taken over the message.<br>She was speaking about the quest, giving Chiron all the information they had to offer. Madeline strained to listen, but the combination of the two talking in serious, hushed voices along with her mind drifting and jumping from thought to thought made the task impossible.  
>After a few minutes, Chiron turned and rolled away from the Iris message, nodding placidly at Madeline as she moved out of the way and stood staring at the image on the other side of the room.<br>This was the first she had heard from them in several days.  
>She had been alone since the day after her talk with Nico on top of Half-Blood Hill underneath Thalia's Pine ad she didn't know what to expect. That day after their talk, Nico told Madeline he had to leave Camp Half-Blood; his father had contacted him and demand that he return to the Underworld immediately.<p>

* * *

><p>Madeline stared at him and asked, "But...why?"<br>Nico shrugged and shook his head at her.  
>"I don't know. I kept asking, but he said it wasn't my place to know. All he said was that he wanted me back with him to help him out down there. He says things are starting to get out of control. The Olympians thought they could fix this, but now it looks like it's becoming a real war. I think it's really starting, Madeline."<p>

She heard him, but didn't want to believe what he was saying. Hades was making Nico go back to the Underworld. Whatever reason he said it was for, it was really so that he could protect his son, because the danger was on its way, and they all understood this very well. It didn't have to be said. And if the battle was coming, that meant the end of the beginning was coming, and that meant that the end of her nightmare was also coming to and end, whatever that end may be.  
>"You should go," Madeline said quietly, adverting her eyes to the lively camp beyond the Big House's front porch where they spoke. A war was brewing, and all the campers, so many of the people Madeline had come to know over the summer, could soon be in another great battle they didn't deserve to suffer through.<br>"Listen to your dad. He knows more than we do at this point."  
>Nico didn't say anything and stepped forward, hesitantly reaching out his hand as if he was about to do something before letting it drop and nervously opening his mouth to speak again. Nothing came out. Madeline noticed his hesitation and stepped closer to him on the tip of her toes, softly wrapping her arms around him. He raised his arms and slowly squeezed her back, accepting the hug.<br>"Thank you, Nico," Madeline said softly in the gentle embrace, stepping back down from the hug and looking it him with a small, warm smile.  
>"I think I should be thanking you," Nico replied, smirking at her. "You're a bit better than me in the whole friend department."<br>Madeline silently chuckled and said, "Friendship goes both ways Nico."  
>Nico smiled softly at her and nodded in agreement.<br>"I should get going now," he said quietly after a moment. "The shadows are the best for travel now at sunset. And I kinda have a long way to go."  
>"Goodbye, Nico" Madeline said kindly, "For now. Or at least for now. And be safe. I think we have a lot heading towards us in the future."<br>"I'm sure we do," he said calmly. "I would stay if it didn't mean going against my dad's orders. He can be even more hot-headed than me. But I'll be back as soon as I can. And good luck, with...whatever happens."  
>Madeline half-smiled at him and nodded.<br>"Goodbye, Madeline," he said, stepping off the porch and walking away. She watched him step into a dark shadow cast by a tree and then he was gone, just like that.

* * *

><p>Madeline blinked once before stepping into the room and standing in front of the Iris message.<br>"Hello Drew," she said politely, offering a small smile. "How are you?"  
>Drew looked blankly at Madeline through the magic window for a moment before chuckling lightly.<br>"I'm okay," the girl said. "Thank you, Madeline. Really. Thanks."  
>Drew walked out of view and was replaced by Connor Stoll. Madeline took a small breath and smiled at him, surprised at how relieving it was just to see his face. Connor could say the same thing about her.<br>"Hi," she said, sighing.  
>"Hey," Connor, smiling his ever-charming, crooked smile at her.<br>"I can see you made it out of the lair of the Empousai," she said lightly, letting that one worry go free.  
>"We did," Connor agreed spiritedly. "I have Drew to thank for that. They're all dust now, but one of them... almost got me. Drew used your perfume, and then they had no idea what hit 'em. I have you to thank for that, too. It was your gift that saved us. We might not have been able to beat them without it."<br>Madeline smiled at him. She was glad to help. It was the least she could do.  
>"I'm just glad you're okay," she said. "Did you get anything out of them before you, well, got rid of 'em?"<br>Connor hesitated and opened his mouth to speak before closing it and swallowing nervously.  
>"C'mon," Madeline said softly. "I love our talks, but you didn't call just to say hi. I know there's something else."<br>Connor sighed and shook his head. Things would be much easier if the one girl who could see through him wasn't also his girlfriend. But he wouldn't have it any other way.  
>"That line in the prophecy," he began hesitantly.<br>"Which one?" Madeline asked, each word of that prophecy immediately bouncing around her mind.  
>She had it memorized, unintentionally.<br>"The one about the truth we're supposed to find. Well, we think we know what it is. We hope, or at least I think we hope, that what the Empousai told us is true. Drew used her charm-speaking on them, but they're sneaky things. And it seems pretty unbelievable-"  
>"Connor," Madeline interrupted gently, ending his staling. "What is it?"<br>He'd promised himself he would do this better than he was doing now. He told himself as soon as they found out the truth that he wouldn't worry Madeline with it anymore than she already was. He'd told himself that since he couldn't be there with her, he would do the next best thing and not pain her anymore. And now he was breaking that promise, to himself and to Madeline, too.  
>Connor looked up into her eyes that were actually miles away and saw the desperation in them, the silent pleading.<br>"Nemesis," he said. "Her dead, mortal boyfriend. He isn't dead. And he's not mortal either, never was. It's all been a trick by him, it seems. Every heard of Dolos?"  
>Madeline froze and stared for a moment. She quickly regained her composure and furrowed her eyebrows, taking a deep breath.<br>"The name sounds familiar. He's...he's a minor god. Right?"  
>"Yeah," Connor replied, staring back at Madeline, "unfortunately."<br>"Why?" she asked simply, shaking her head in confusion.  
>"What do you mean?" Connor asked, once again getting familiarly lost in Madeline's thought process.<br>"I mean, why is he doing this? He's manipulating Nemesis to start a war against the Olympians. She thinks he was an innocent mortal man and that by doing this, she's restoring balance. But he's a God in disguise amongst the Gods. He faked his death and pinned it on Aphrodite, and even made _Aphrodite_ think she killed him, too. His plan is clear, and it's a good plan, which sucks for us. But why is he doing it?"  
>"We've figured out as much as we can. Dolos is a minor God, and he was originally an apprentice to Prometheus. All the Titans are locked up now, but I guess Dolos stayed under the radar and has been scheming ever since they all got put away after we took Kronos down in Manhattan."<br>"So he's one-upping himself and getting revenge," Madeline concluded, "through the Goddess of revenge."  
>"Exactly," Connor confirmed sullenly. "And his plan is working."<br>There was a moment of silence.  
>"This war is for <em>nothing<em>," she said quietly, anger rising in her voice. "They're causing all this for their own selfish need for revenge. And they're not even going to the ones to pay for it! Instead, it's gonna be one of-"  
>She stopped herself, ending of her outburst.<br>She realized how loud she had been shouting and held back a sob. She quickly wiped away a tear that slid down her cheek.  
>"I'm sorry," she said, looking down. "I didn't mean to yell. This is just so unfair. They're doing all this in the name of <em>justice. <em>But that's all lies. And then...," she looked up at Connor in thought and softened her stare. "It's just unfair," she finished in a whisper, taking a quiet breath.  
>Connor didn't speak. He just looked at her and almost smiled. She was apologizing for getting angry.<br>"You shouldn't be sorry," he told her. "Just let it all out. I can see you holding it all in...and I hate that you feel like you have to do that."  
>Madeline smiled weakly at him and her anger melted away.<br>"It wouldn't do any good. I don't want to be bitter. I just don't want _this_. And I don't mean for me. I don't want this for _you_."  
>"I wish it could be different too, Mads," Connor said softly. "But whatever happens, I'm so happy I met you."<br>Madeline could feel the threat of tears building up in her throat. But she kept her voice steady when she spoke.  
>"That sounds awfully like a good-bye," she said.<br>Connor swallowed with his dry throat, pained by her pain.  
>"We found out where Nemesis is staying from the Empousai," he confessed. "We should make it to her hideout by tomorrow. We have to tell her the truth. We're the only ones who can end this, and this has to end now."<br>Madeline nodded with a brave face on, though a shaky feeling was growing in her heart. She felt like a soft breeze was all that was needed to blow her to dust.  
>"We can't risk dragging this out any longer," he continued, wishing he didn't have to say it. "The first thing to be attacked would be all of you at Camp Half-Blood. We already lost so many good people last time. That can't happen again."<br>Madeline nodded again, looking into his eyes and finding herself not able to speak.  
>"So whatever happens," he repeated, his voice steady and and his eyes true, "I'm <em>so<em> happy I met you, Madeline. I got the honor of meeting the love of my life. It's been the best summer of my life with you. And I love you. Always."  
>Madeline took a deep, breath and finally found her ability to speak.<br>"I couldn't have said it any better," she said with a heart-breaking smile, refusing to let any tears fall.  
>She couldn't do that to him. She had promised herself that, and him.<br>"I love you, too, Connor."  
>Just then, the Iris message faltered.<br>"I have to go," he said unnecessarily. But they both knew what he really meant.  
>Madeline nodded again, smiling softly at him.<br>"I know," she said. "Goodbye, Connor. For Now."  
>"Goodbye for now," he agreed, liking the feel of that.<br>Then the iris message fell away into a shimmering mist.  
>And they both knew they had broken their silent promises to each other.<br>Connor knew he had broken her heart, and Madeline knew she had broken his.  
>But there was no other way.<p>

* * *

><p>Katie and Madeline sat next to each other, their legs dangling off one of the branches of Thalia's Pine.<br>They waited high in the red air of sunset and stared out into the distance, beyond the hill to the far-away road. There was another world beyond the border.  
>"I'm sorry I've been so... gone," Madeline said softly.<br>"I could say the same thing," Katie said, turning to look at her sister.  
>They knew they needed to talk after the news that Travis, Connor, and Drew had brought with them. This was the only time left.<br>"I just didn't know what to do," Madeline continued. "I didn't want to make things worse."  
>"I know... I'm scared, too, Madeline," she said sadly, speaking truthfully of what they were both feeling. "But we're family. We'll make it through this together, whatever happens."<br>Madeline felt a small tug at the corner of her lips and welcomed the smile for herself and her sister.  
>"We will," she agreed. "It'll be okay."<br>The camp horn blew in the distance for dinner.  
>The two daughters of Demeter took a deep breath of the crisp setting sun before hopping to the ground from their gazing branch. They brushed off their jeans and turned away from the horizon, away from the sight of where their hearts would either return home to them, or not.<p>

* * *

><p>The three quest-bound heroes were spread out under the stars in the open field. Travis, Connor, and Drew all lied on their backs in the peaceful meadow. It was actually a nature reserve park that they were waiting in until morning, when they would leave for the final part of their journey. But it wasn't any less peaceful.<br>They all stared into the night sky and listened to the loud silence of nature.  
>"It's been good fighting with you two," Drew said calmly.<br>"Ditto," the two brothers said simultaneously.  
>This was what they knew was the calm before the storm.<br>And with that, they closed their eyes and fell asleep.


	54. Stranger Things Have Happened

_{Present day}_**  
><strong>  
>Madeline stared at the pyre with a stony expression on her face. Katie stood next to her, silent as well. In the ring of the crowd closest to the burial shroud, Madeline stood erect with her hands held in front of her, matching the rest of her body with their stillness.<br>The pyre was only for ceremonial purposes, since there was no actual body to burn. It was nowhere to be found.  
>All of Camp Half-Blood was gathered around the funeral of the son of Hermes.<br>"Because of this brave, heroic young man," Chiron spoke boldly, his strong voice breaking the silence of the demigods, satyrs, nature spirits and everyone at Camp Half-Blood, "we are spared from a great war that would have undoubtedly lead to the deaths of countless innocents. He gave his life to save us all from destruction. His death is a seal that no more blood will be spilled. With this tragic, Pyrrhic victory, there is now peace among the Gods. We have him to thank for the lives of us all."  
>There was more silence, the only noise being the faint rusting of the trees in the light breeze of the bright day.<br>The pyre in the center of the amphitheater stood strong and handsome, built from dark wood by the Hermes cabin for their sibling and co-head counselor. On the top of the pyre, a can of shaving cream rested oddly, but everyone knew why it was there; filling campers' sleeping bags with shaving cream had been his favorite prank.  
>Dionysus cleared his throat beside Chiron and spoke calmly.<br>"Heroes have may flaws. But there are a few, I will admit, that even I cannot deny are admirable. This hero indeed had many flaws, but lack of heart or courage or loyalty were never any of those. For that, this young man will be remembered as a true hero. I myself will remember him as a good man. His death is regrettable. But it is a reminder to me of the good that is inside some of you, a great truth."  
>Chiron nodded at the other son of Hermes. The remaining brother looked back at him and spoke up.<br>"Connor will always be my brother," Travis said, his voice crashing over the ceremony. The whole Camp listened, remembering the lost hero. Madeline felt a wretch in her heart as he spoke, but no tears came to her eyes. She had cried enough in the past few days that she didn't even know if there were anymore tears left inside of her. She felt greater sadness and pain than she had ever felt in her life, but she could not cry.  
>"I can say without a doubt that things will never be the same without him," Travis continued sadly. "He was my partner in crime. You can all thank him for every prank we ever pulled off together."<br>Sad smiles came to the faces of many in the crowd as they remembered the many pranks of the infamous Stoll brothers, along with the disturbance of peace that had come with them. No one would've ever thought it before, but those disturbances would actually be missed. There would be an empty feeling at Camp Half-Blood without them.  
>"I mean, it was a party trick made for two. He was my little brother, but I'll say now that he was the brains of the scheme. I know everyone can say that it annoyed them a bit how smart-mouthed he could be sometimes- all the time, actually- but I wouldn't have had him any other way. I would've never been me without him by my side all our lives. This is the first time that he's not here. I never thought I'd say goodbye to him, because he's my brother and it just isn't something that seems meant to be, but I guess that's what I have to do now. He died a hero's death, but he deserves more than Elysium. Even though I'm saying goodbye now, Connor will always be here. He'd never let any of us forget him if he was here, and I don't plan on forgetting him now either."<br>Many people glanced at Madeline now as Travis finished. She was expected to speak. She should say something, shouldn't she. She was, in fact, the girl that Connor had loved, the girl who he had fallen head-over-heels for in his last summer. And Madeline had so much to say, she really did:  
>That he was the best person she had ever met in her life, and no one would ever be able to be to her what he was to her. You only had one other half, and he had been her's. She knew that.<br>But she couldn't bring herself speak.  
>Instead, she lifted the golden necklace that had been with her her entire life off her neck and over her head and stepped up to the memorial pyre of Connor Stoll, the best one she had ever did or would have, and she hung it gently on the wood.<br>She stepped back into the crowd and didn't say anything, hoping she hadn't disappointed anyone by doing so. It was just that nothing she could say could even come close to the words that Connor deserved. The best thing she could do was give him what was his, her heart, as they all said goodbye.  
>Suddenly, as Chiron lifted the burning torch from its spot and was about to touch it to the pyre to complete the ceremony, a strong wind blew and extinguished the flame. Many people gasped as they watched the smoke that coiled off the blown-out torch.<br>'_What kind of sick omen is this?_' many campers thought.  
>Gasps rippled through the crowd to where Madeline, Travis, and Katie were from the direction of where the wind had come from. They pushed through the crowd as they bulleted to the where everyone was turning to.<br>Madeline was the first to reach the edge of the crowd, followed by Travis, Katie, Chiron, and Dionysus, who all stopped dead in their tracks at what they saw.

* * *

><p><em>{4 days before the ceremony}<em>

Travis, Connor and Drew all stood, side by side, facing the entrance to the lavish hotel, their weapons concealed by their sides; they couldn't just enter a hotel full of mortals with their swords drawn.  
>The trio cautiously walked through the front doors and stopped when they saw what was inside.<br>Right in front of them was what looked like the entirety of Nemesis' army. Dozens of minor gods and creatures were walking around the hotel lobby. That issue of alarming any civilians was evidently no longer an issue.  
>"I guess Nemesis really knows how to keep a low profile," Drew said with disdain.<br>Trying not to bring attention to themselves, they all inconspicuously gripped their weapons and began walking forward into the crowd of their enemies. Many of them turned and watched the demigods with threatening looks, but none moved to attack. Instead, they actually made way for the young fighters to the elevator doors.  
>"We've been expected," Connor said simply, cautiously scanning the room.<br>It was obvious that the soldiers were under orders to not harm the trio -at least not yet- but he still kept the hilt of his sword in his hand.  
>'<em>Soldiers can be rebellious,<em>' he thought to himself, taking into account the belligerent looks he received from the still, silent room.  
>The only noise was the faint sounds of the three teenagers' footsteps as they walked across the marble tile to the gold-plated elevator doors. Travis pressed the elevator button and the cheery <em>ding!<em> as it got closer floor-by-floor felt extremely out of place in the hostile room. The doors slid open for the three demigods and they slowly stepped forward, turning around as they closed. A young, blue-skinned goddess caught their eye with her sly smirk just as the elevator doors closed and sealed their fate.  
>"What do you think happened to all the people in the hotel?" Drew asked as they ascended to the top floor.<br>"Let's hope they were all let out for vacation," Travis answered sullenly.  
>They stood in silence as the elevator got closer and closer to the penthouse suite, where they knew Nemesis was waiting for them.<br>Finally, the elevator stopped and after a moment, the doors slid open.  
>The penthouse suite was very luxurious, complete with a goddess of revenge lounging on one of the rich couches, a fancy bowl of grapes by her side on the coffee table.<br>"A bit cliche," Connor said casually, "don't you think?"  
>"Maybe," Nemesis said, not moving from her relaxed position on her sofa, popping a juicy grape in her mouth. The goddess had porcelain skin, black hair, and even darker eyes. She was dressed in a traditional Greek chiton, made of beautiful fabric.<br>"But I do love grapes. Now, while you're here, there will be no weapons," the goddess continued. With a wave of her hands, all of their weapons disappeared  
>"That's not very fair," Drew said boldly. "We're in a building full of armed soldiers. Aren't you supposed to be the goddess of balance?"<br>"Young lady," Nemesis said in a calm tone, "you will watch your tongue. You are in _my_ territory now. I do not plan on harming you, and my soldiers are under those same orders. Therefore, weapons are not necessary On another note, this building is guarding by heavy magic. None of your lovely parents can see us in here, nor do they know what is here. We are 'under the radar', as you young mortals say."  
>"Because you know what you are doing is wrong," Travis replied. "You're hiding, because you know you have to."<br>"The Olympians do not deserve to win this fight!" Nemesis replied, anger blasting through her calm exterior.  
>She stood from the lounge she was resting on and took a few steps towards the demigods. They instinctively reached for their weapons before remembering they were gone. Nemesis smiled coyly at the trio.<br>"I will do what I must to win. It is in fact called "war," something you children do not understand. You shouldn't get involved in affairs you know nothing about. Just another example of how they are abusing their power. Look: they're using their own children as battle pawns to save themselves because they are too cowardice to face their shame themselves! They wouldn't want anymore blood on their perfect hands. Instead, they use you innocent children to their dirty work. It's a shame, really. You do not have to fight me. I am doing this to make things truly right. As you said, I am the goddess of balance."  
>"We're not pawns," Connor spoke sternly. "We know what we're doing, and we're here by our own choice. We're here because this war needs to be stopped."<br>"Regardless of who you gods think is at fault, we're here to stop a war for the sake of our _own_ people," Travis continued. "You know, the little people. We're not here by the orders of any gods. We're here to save the world that all you seem to forget about in your selfish, petty problems. We don't care about you, but we do have to deal with you."  
>"This is not selfish nor is it senseless," Nemesis replied, ice in her voice and eyes. "You have no idea what they've done."<br>Before Travis or Connor could retaliate, Drew held up her hands to them.  
>"Lady Nemesis," Drew said respectfully. To everyone's surprise, she got down on one knee.<br>Reluctantly, Connor and Travis followed her lead. They knew they had to make Nemesis hear them, and they trusted Drew knew what she was doing; she was a master of persuasion.  
>"Please," Drew continued, "hear us. We are not here to fight you. That is the opposite of our intentions. We are here to <em>stop<em> this war before it begins. To help everyone."  
>"And how do you believe you will do this?" Nemesis asked calmly, taking a step back from the demigods as they knelt down to her. "You have no right stopping a revolution. This needs to happen for the greater good."<br>"We know you truly believe that," Drew continued. "We know you have righteous intentions, but the truth you think you know, the reason for your rebellion, is not reality at all."  
>"You do not know what you speak of, Girl," Nemesis spat.<br>"But we do," Drew replied. "You feel the Olympians need to be punished because they abuse their power. You deem them corrupt by... by the death of the man you loved."  
>"How do you know that?" Nemesis asked, outraged.<br>"As I said," Drew continued, "we are not here to fight you, nor are we here on the side of the Olympians. We are here in the name of peace. To do this, you must know the truth. Your mortal lover was never killed. He was-"  
>"Lady Nemesis," a man interrupted urgently. He entered the room from another area of the penthouse suite and stood beside the goddess.<br>In a hushed voice, he continued; "These children have been sent here by the Olympians. They mean to kill you, and I will not have that, my good lady. My job is to protect you, and that is what I will do."  
>The man turned and stepped forward towards the three young demigods.<br>"Dolos," Nemesis said sternly, holding her hand out to the man. "I promised these children no harm. You are under orders as a soldier to not attack."  
>"I'm afraid that is not your decision," the god of trickery said, a wicked smirk growing on his face right before he closed the distance between himself and Travis Stoll, the one who just happened to be closest to him. In his hand, a celestial bronze sword materialized, the blade that he impaled the older Stoll brother with, causing him to fall to the ground.<br>"No!" Connor yelled in terror, running to catch his older brother. Travis lied on the ground, holding his chest over his heart where he had slipped off the celestial bronze sword. Connor knelt beside his brother and held up his head.  
>"C'mon, man," Connor said, fear in his voice. "Just stay with me."<br>Connor pressed his hands over Travis', applying pressure to the wound as he had been taught to do. But there was so much blood. Too much blood.  
>"I'm right here, dude," Travis said faintly, managing to offer his younger brother a small, crooked smile. His words were interrupted as he coughed, the action feeling as if it were ripping him in half. Blood spurted from his mouth, pain replacing his weak smile.<br>"Tell her!" Connor shouted, looking up at Drew, who had run to the side of the completely shocked Goddess.  
>"Dolos!" Nemesis screamed in alarm. "Stop!"<br>Turning to Dolos, Drew drew a deep breath and desperately poured all her strength into her special ability.  
>"Reveal yourself," she said to Dolos, her voice reverberating in the room. "Reveal who you once were!"<br>Dolos quickly turned away as he realized what the young demigod was doing and pressed his hands to his ears, the blood covered sword falling to the ground. It slipped across the room over the smooth tile floor, slick with blood.  
>But he was too late; he had already heard Drew's charm-spoken command.<br>The minor god dropped onto his knees, holding his head, and changed form before everyone's eyes.  
>After an excruciating moment as he tried to fight the transformation, he weakly stood, facing Nemesis.<br>He was now a completely different man.  
>"Impossible," the shocked goddess said quietly. "She killed you. Aphrodite killed you! And you were <em>mortal<em>. This is all lies. It has to be."  
>"This is what we've been trying to tell you!" Drew said urgently, painfully aware of the bloody Stoll brothers on the other side of the room. "You are starting this war in the name of your fallen lover, for justice. But he tricked you! He was never a mortal. That was a fake identity. It was him, Dolos, the whole time. He manipulated your love for him and turned it inside out into wrath to destroy Olympus. He knew you were capable, and he used you to do exactly what he wanted, what you're doing right now."<br>"This isn't true," Nemesis said in disbelief, looking at the man she loved. "You're dead."  
>"Hello, Love," the man said darkly. He had changed back into his godly form. "Unfortunately, the girl speaks the truth. The mortal you fell in love with was a disguise I created. My apologies. I suppose now I have to kill you, too. I was hoping I could simply rid of these three, but plans change. All is well though. It's too late to stop the war. You've already started it, my dear Nemesis. Just as I knew you would. Such a passionate one you are."<br>"How _dare_ you?" Nemesis asked Dolos in outrage, her voice bellowing.  
>"Kronos fell," Dolos replied simply. "His work needed to be finished. I'm proving that he foolishly relied so much on that cursed son of Hermes when he should've trusted me. He should've believed in <em>me<em>, not that coward of a demigod. And now I am showing everyone. The Olympians will fall, and all by my plan. I will be even greater than Kronos ever was."  
>"You will not succeed," Nemesis said venomously. "I will tell the Olympians what you've done and end this war, and you. You will not use me anymore. I see my foolishness now."<br>"That will not happen," Dolos said. "You are the only ones that know the truth. And I will make sure it stays that way."  
>He turned to the Stoll brothers and reached for Connor as the young demigod stood up to put himself between the raging God and his wounded brother. Nemesis ran forward and put her hands on Dolos' back, just as Dolos reached Connor and got his hands around the young brother's neck and snapped it, twisting it in his hands.<br>In a blinding light, Dolos and Connor disappeared.  
>"Connor," Travis said weakly, reaching for where his younger brother just been. Drew ran over to Travis and his bloody place on the floor. The sound of Connor's neck snapping rang in their ears.<br>"What have you done?" Drew asked desperately, pressing her hands to Travis' wound as she spoke to the shocked Goddess.  
>"I stopped Dolos," Nemesis said quietly. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to send the boy away, too. Dolos had already reached him. It had to be done. But now Dolos is gone. He will do no more harm. And I will end this war I created. I'm sorry your brother had to be lost for my mistakes. Now be gone."<br>With a sad look to the two demigods on the floor, Nemesis waved her hand, and then they were gone.  
>Back at Camp Half-Blood, Drew, Travis, and a bloody sword appeared just beyond Thalia's Pine.<p>

* * *

><p><em>{3 days before the ceremony}<em>

Madeline woke up, slowly opening her eyes. The sunlight was so bright. She was in the forest, she realized. There was a light cotton blanket draped over her. The dryads must've put it on her. She was hungry. She felt exhausted.  
>These were the only thoughts that lethargically moved through her mind, then she remembered what had happened and felt her heart sink.<p>

Madeline had been sitting on the porch of the Big House. She was helping a younger camper weave a crown of wildflowers. Suddenly, there was a scream that could be heard all the way to the canoe lake. Everyone turned towards the sound. Many people ran towards the noise that came from Half-Blood Hill, including Madeline.  
>A few dozen people were gathered at the top of the hill to see what was happening by the time she got there. Only one person, Katie Gardner, moved forward to meet the pair of people a few yards away. Drew and Travis. Katie could be seen sobbing over Travis, but he was alive, everyone realized with relief, as he lifted his hand up to her's and sat up from the grass. The couple hugged. Drew held her hand in her face and appeared to be crying. Madeline broke away from the crowd and slowly walked forward to the three of them on the grass. She just stood, frozen, standing a few feet away, looking down at them with a blank face. She saw the bloody sword lying in the grass, the blood shining menacingly in the sunlight, and looked away.<br>Travis saw her first, just standing there, as he held Katie tightly in their embrace. Drew was facing the opposite direction, like Katie. Madeline locked eyes with Travis and he nodded solemnly. She opened her mouth to speak, but had nothing to say. She felt like her heart was collapsing.  
>She turned and walked away. She walked past the growing crowd at the top of Half-Blood Hill that was gathered to see the returned heroes.<br>"Oh my gods," could be heard from the crowd as all the campers realized what this meant; Connor Stoll was the brother who didn't return. Some of the campers watched the touching scene past Thalia's Pine of the returned son of Hermes and his girlfriend hugging as the daughter of Aphrodite cried beside them. A few others, only the few most observant people at Camp Half-Blood, glanced back and watched the other silent daughter of Demeter walk away, emotionless. It was a good thing only a few campers looked back at Madeline, because it was a devastatingly heart-breaking sight.  
>As Madeline walked past the canoe lake, all alone, she began to run.<br>Everyone was back at the hill, no one there to stop her. And that was fine. No one would have been able to stop her anyway. In that moment, not even the fast-footed dryads would have been able to catch her. She would have finally won one of those races.

It was beginning to grow light out, the stars fading in the sky, and Madeline laid in the forest, her cheek pressed to the cool earth at the base of one of the tall trees. She stared, her eyes open and empty, at a small wildflower a few inches away from her face. It was so small and simple, and she wondered what it was like to be that flower.  
>She had cried for hours, sobbed painfully, screamed, until there was nothing left in her. Then she realized she couldn't breathe. She was hyperventilating, and she let herself fall to the ground where she was now.<br>Since then, she just lied there on the ground, thinking and, even better, not thinking.  
>He was gone.<em><br>_That's what it all came back to. After long extents of thinking and then slipping out of consciousness only to wake up confused and drained to start it all again, that was what it all came back to, over and over again.

She had made space for Connor in her life and her heart. Now he was gone and what was left was that same space, only now it was big and emptier than she had ever thought possible.

"We were supposed to spend our lives together," Madeline said quietly, to no one or nothing. Just speaking because she finally could.  
>"I have my whole life ahead of me," she continued, maybe to the little wildflower, she decided. "I can't breathe without him, but I guess I have to. Now I have to do it without him. We were supposed to be forever. What am I supposed to do? I'll just keep going, and I'll let myself grow around this. Because I'm not allowed to be sad for the rest of my life, right? People will be okay with it at first. But then they'll stop understanding, because by then, he'll just be a memory of some boy from when we were teenagers. They won't care about how I can't just move on, because after all, it's not like the world ended, right? But he's not supposed to be only a memory for the rest of my life. He's supposed to be there. The life that we almost had together is gone. I'll live the life of a girl getting over some summer romance she had when she was sixteen. The life of a girl growing up and getting old and then being done. At least I can tell stories about him when I'm old, right?"<br>Then she stopped talking and let her exhausted body and mind finally sleep.

She woke up several hours later and picked the small wildflower. Walking back to Camp, she went to the Demeter cabin and showered. It was past early morning and the cabin was empty. No one noticed her.  
>Then she silently made her way to the infirmary where she figured Travis would be.<br>'_He's lost him, too_,' Madeline thought to herself. '_I'm not the only one._'  
>Swallowing with her dry throat, Madeline stepped into the infirmary. Travis was lying in a cot in the far end of the room, Katie by his side. They were holding hands, talking about who knows what.<br>Madeline wanted to smile at the heartwarming sight, but she didn't. It didn't feel right.  
>Again, Travis was the first one to see Madeline. Following his stare, Katie turned around to look at her sister, too.<br>Madeline slowly walked forward, past many stares from other campers. She ignored them and sat at the end of the cot on an empty stool.  
>"Are you okay?" Madeline asked Travis blankly. "I...I thought I saw blood yesterday," she added, unsure, thinking back to when he and Drew had arrived on Half-Blood Hill. The memory was very vague. She hadn't taken much in.<br>"I'm fine," he answered, looking at Madeline with a sad expression. "I got stabbed, but when Nemesis sent us back, I guess she healed me."  
>"That was nice of her," Madeline said awkwardly. After a long pause, she looked down.<br>"I'm sorry," she continued, looking down at her hands and shaking her head slightly. "I just don't feel well. I don't know... what to do now. I'm glad you're okay, Travis."  
>"I'm gonna go," Katie said gently, standing up. "You two can talk."<br>Katie left the infirmary, leaving Travis and Madeline to talk.  
>"What happened?" Madeline asked, deciding they had to start somewhere.<br>"We found Nemesis," Travis answered simply. "We got there, and we tried to talk to her, but before we could finish, Dolos showed up. Nemesis had no idea who he was or what he was doing, that he was using her. Then he attacked to stop us from telling Nemesis anything. He said we were only there to lie and kill Nemesis, so as a _good soldier_, he tried to kill us. He got me with a sword before Drew charm-spoke him to make him reveal who he was. Then he was furious, and he was going to kill us all to make sure we didn't stop the war. Connor got in the way to stop him, and Dolos...he," Travis stopped talking. He took a deep breath and looked down.  
>"He snapped Connor's neck."<br>Madeline closed her eyes and looked away, clenching her teeth.  
>"Where is he?" she asked after a moment of silence between the two as they painfully thought of their lost hero. "We -we should go bring... bring his body back hom-"<br>"He's gone," Travis interrupted her, shaking his head. "Nemesis had to stop Dolos, so she sent him away. Tartarus. He still had a hold on Connor at the time, so he was sent away, too."  
>"So that's it, then?" Madeline asked quietly. She stood to walk away, nothing more to say.<br>They had both lost the boy they loved most; his brother, her one true love. And they both knew that. And that was it.  
>"I'd trade with him if I could," Travis said as she began to walk away. Madeline stopped and slowly turned around, looking at Travis for a moment. She sat down in the spot Katie had been before and didn't speak for a long time.<br>"I miss him," Madeline said. "And I know you do, too. I know it hurts. I don't think that's ever gonna go away. And I want him back, too. But don't think like that. I would never wish you dead instead of him, and neither should you."  
>Travis looked at her intently.<br>"It should've been me, though," he said quietly. "He's my little brother. I should've protected him."  
>Madeline looked at him with sad eyes.<br>"Connor knew what he was doing," she said, sure of what she was saying for once. "He made his choice. He did it to save everyone, including you. So don't let his death be in vain. And what if it had been you instead? Nothing would be better. Katie would miss you. We would all just be missing you instead of him. So just don't wish things to be different. You can't change anything. Connor didn't make sure it was him who went for no reason."  
>Travis looked at Madeline, furrowing his eyebrows lightly.<br>"He loved you," Travis told her. "I know he did. Deciding to leave you must've been one of the hardest things he ever did."  
>Madeline took a deep, slow breath before speaking.<br>"I don't think he made his decision because he _didn't_ love me. I just think he made his decision because it had to be done. Him leaving me, leaving all of us... that was just an unwanted consequence."  
>Madeline looked Travis in the eye's and said one last thing before she left.<br>"He didn't save us so that we could be sad that he's gone. He did it so that we could live happily. So let's just try to do that. For him. We owe him that much."  
>Then she walked out of the infirmary.<p>

Later that day, Madeline was sitting on the front steps of the Demeter cabin during her free hour. It felt so quiet without him beside her, joking and laughing together. Now she was alone.  
>Then a girl walked up the steps and sat beside her. Looking up, Madeline saw that it was Drew. Drew Tanaka. The girl who had been her enemy only a few weeks ago.<br>"Hey," the pretty Asian girl said. She looked out into the distance before looking at Madeline.  
>"Hey," Madeline said back. She would have usually questioned the resident mean girl's motives, but not anymore. Everything was different now. Drew wasn't even the camp mean girl anymore. Now, she was just another beautiful daughter of Aphrodite.<br>After the quest, she was different. She had grown as a person.  
>"Connor gave this to me to give back to you if he didn't make it back to give it you himself," Drew said softly.<br>Madeline looked up and saw that the girl was holding her golden necklace with the charm of wheat sheaves on it. The necklace that Madeline had given to Connor before they left on their quest, for whatever reason. Maybe as a small attempt to make sure he came home somehow. Madeline reached out and took the necklace from Drew's hand.  
>"I guess now this necklace has come full circle," Madeline said lightly. "It was mine, then you stole it at the beginning of the summer, then Connor stole it back and gave it to me, then I gave it to Connor who gave it to you, and now it's come back to me. It sure knows how to get around."<br>Madeline looked up and smiled very faintly at Drew. The daughter of Aphrodite couldn't help but smile back.  
>'<em>Here's Madeline<em>,' Drew thought, '_the girl whose boyfriend just died, and she's joking about how I used to torment her._'  
>"How are you?" Drew asked casually, both of the girls looking out at the lively camp around them.<br>"Alive, I guess." Madeline replied placidly. "But the thing is, Connor's gone now. So it's gonna be like how it was before I met him. But not everything's gonna go back to the way it was, because now I'm here. So it's like my whole world changed, and it's never changing back, and that was fine before, because I had _him_. But now I'm stuck here in this world without him, and it just feels wrong. It's not supposed to be like this, but it is. So I don't know how I am."  
>"Do you know who Silena Beauregard was?" Drew asked softly, frowning at Madeline. She could almost feel her pain, a tangible essence around the daughter of Demeter. Madeline just looked at her blankly before answering.<br>"She was a girl at camp before I came here. A daughter of Aphrodite, like you. Connor told me about her, once. And Charles Beckendorf. They're both dead now."  
>Madeline felt like she was being very blunt, but her word's didn't seem to be able to come out any differently. The world just seemed blunt now.<br>"Everyone says she was a hero," Drew replied. "She was a traitor, though. And she got Beckendorf killed, and then she got herself killed. I guess the reason I never agreed that she was a hero was because I never forgave her. She was an older sister to me. And I never told anyone, but I really loved her. Her death... it broke my heart a little. And I guess I've always been angry with her for what she did. Maybe that's why I was always such a bitch. Sorry about that, by the way."  
>Madeline shrugged. "It's okay," she replied nonchalantly. It didn't seem to matter anymore.<br>Drew continued: "I kinda hated her for what she did, actually. Leaving like she did. She'd been there ever since I came to camp, and she was pretty much my only friend. I called her a traitor, but I never thought she was a bad person. She was one of the best people I ever knew, actually. She was good. You remind me of her. I think you remind everyone of her, too. You both just have really good hearts, and everyone knows it."  
>"This is nice and all," Madeline said, looking at Drew with a small smile. "It really is, but I don't know why you're telling me any of this."<br>Drew cleared her throat.  
>"Okay. Yeah, I know I'm rambling. I'll get to the point. I know we're not really friends, and that's my fault. This is kinda out of nowhere, but I felt like I had to talk to you. Like I said, I never forgave what Selena did. And I've been angry ever since she died. My problem was that I didn't understand. Until now. Connor sacrificed himself, just like Selena. And I saw that, and then I finally understood; they didn't do it because they didn't care. They did it <em>because<em> they cared. And I just want some good to come out of all the bad, I guess. Especially for you, Madeline. Because you don't deserve all this sadness."  
>Madeline didn't speak for a while. She looked down at her necklace in her hand, then up at Drew. Before she could be sensible about it, she threw her arms around Drew and began to cry. She knew Drew was crying, too.<br>After a long time, both of them were done and they pulled away and looked at each other. They both smiled pathetically and laughed, wiping their faces. Drew's makeup wasn't ruined at all, Madeline noticed. Must be an Aphrodite thing.  
>"Thank you," Madeline said sheepishly. Drew smiled, nodding at her, and stood up, about to walk away.<br>"You said that we're not friends," she quickly called out to the girl. Drew glanced back at her. "But...stranger things have happened."  
>Drew laughed, a tired grin spreading across her face.<br>"I'd say so."


	55. Connor's Clock

_{2 days before funeral}_

Madeline ate breakfast and lunch in silence. She showed up early, ate very little, then left the dinning hall as soon as possible, before the stares started to burn too painfully, before anyone tried to talk to her.  
>Since it was very near the end of the summer, it was time to pack everything up for the kids who weren't staying year-round. That included Madeline. She wondered what it would be like back at home. She would see her father again for the first time since the beginning of the summer. With a sharp ring in her mind, she remembered how he had never gotten to meet Connor like she had planned. He had no idea what had happened all summer in his daughter's life. She could go home and not speak of any of it, make it seem like she had a good summer at her training camp for demigods, and he would never know how her heart was broken.<p>

Madeline made her way to the Arts and Crafts pavilion to retrieve the sculpture she had been working on all summer. After a few minutes, she had it out and was carrying the heavy sculpture to a table. As she walked, she looked over it with her eyes, remembering all the time she had spent working on it over the past several months. She noticed a small chip in the marble surface and smiled as she remembered the day that Connor had tried to help with her sculpture; he wasn't much of an artist and had chipped the marble by mistake with the chisel. They had both laughed so much.  
>The next thing Madeline knew, everyone in the Arts and Crafts pavilion was staring at her and the sculpture that was shattered on the floor. She had accidentally dropped it as she had gotten lost in her memories. She hadn't noticed as it slipped out of her numb arms as the pain flooded back into her mind. With a sinking feeling in her heart, she knelt on the ground and picked up the largest pieces of marble closest to her, holding them in her hands and staring at them.<br>'_It's gone_,' she thought, holding back a sob as tears came to her eyes. This was unbelievable. Everything was falling apart.  
>A few nearby campers rushed towards the loud sound of the sculpture breaking, and then they all froze as they saw her crying, kneeling on the ground of the pavilion with her face in her hands as she sobbed. One girl knelt next to Madeline and wrapped one arm gently around her. Looking up, Madeline saw that it was Lucy, Connor and Travis's half-sister.<br>"C'mon," Lucy said softly, helping Madeline up. She began steering her out of the pavilion before Madeline turned around to look at the few campers who were picking up the shattered marble on the ground.  
>"Don't throw it away," Madeline called out quietly. She couldn't bear throwing away all that time, all the memories.<br>'_I look as broken as my sculpture,_' she thought as she grimaced at their pitying faces.  
>"Don't worry about it," Lucy spoke to her reassuringly "They won't."<br>The older daughter of Hermes then turned Madeline away from the Arts and Crafts pavilion and began walking, gently guiding the tear-stained girl with her.  
>"Where are we going?" Madeline asked, regaining her composure and wiping away the tears from her face. She looked at Lucy with a confused look.<br>"I'm taking you to the infirmary," Lucy said worriedly, stopping and looking at her. "Madeline, your hands are bleeding."  
>Madeline looked down and turned her hands over slowly, looking at them in surprise. Her palms were bleeding heavily; they were cut badly and now covered in blood, some of the red liquid slowly dripping down to her wrists. The sharp, shattered marble had cut her, she suddenly realized.<br>'_I didn't even notice,_' Madeline thought in horror.  
>"C'mon," Lucy said gently, softly pulling her along.<p>

A little while later, Madeline sat in a cot in the infirmary, silently looking down at her bandaged hands. After she had tended to them, Nina had returned with a clean cloth and a bowl of water, handing Madeline a hand mirror. As she held the mirror up, Madeline barely recognized herself. Her face was striped with red from her hands and her eyes were dull. She slowly got to work and washed the blood away. Lucy sat a few feet away from her, also silent. Finally, the older girl cleared her throat. Madeline glanced up at her.  
>"What are you thinking about?" Lucy asked cautiously, lightly furrowing her eyebrows in concern. They had become friends over the summer, but despite that, Madeline didn't feel close to her at the moment. She didn't feel close to anyone now.<br>"Everyone's looking at me differently " Madeline answered, vacantly flexing her sore hands. She had eaten an ambrosia square to heal them. "Everyone pities me now," she continued. "Now I'm just the sad girl who lost her boyfriend, and that's all they see me as...I don't blame them though," she added with a watery smile. "All I do is cry now."  
>"You're allowed to hurt," Lucy said exasperatedly, leaning towards Madeline. "No one thinks any less of you. If you think we're all just gonna drop you like a lost cause-" Lucy stopped herself, slowing her words. "You're still the same girl I met at the beginning of the summer," she continued. "It just so happens that something terrible happened. But the last thing I would do is turn my back on you. No one is gonna do that do you. And we all miss him, too, Mads."<br>Madeline winced as she heard the nickname she had earned over the summer.  
>Connor had been the first one to call her that. He had thought it had been extra clever, since Madeline didn't get really mad. She hadn't had a reason to during the happiest time of her life. She would miss his stupid jokes.<br>"I know," Madeline said after a moment in thought, snapping back to reality. "Everyone misses him. But it doesn't make it any easier. I get that the world's not ending, but it's not the same... I guess all I have to say is that there's nothing anyone can do right now beside just carrying on. That's all there is to do. And I'm no exception."  
>After a moment's hesitation, she added, "Don't worry about me. I'm just not good at not crying is all."<br>With that, Madeline stood from the cot she sat on and walked out of the infirmary.

* * *

><p><em>{1 day before funeral}<em>

Madeline stood next to Travis, watching as the funeral pyre for their lost boy was built in the center of the amphitheater. The other children from the Hermes cabin were constructing the burial shroud for their late brother.  
>Travis was now the only Head Counselor of Cabin #11.<br>"It's gonna be ready for tomorrow," he said certainly.  
>It already felt like too much time had passed, even though at the same time it felt like time itself had stopped.<br>It felt as if everything was going by Connor's clock; the clock that had stopped.  
>Madeline simply nodded beside him, her eyes dark as she watched. She had barely said two words all day, and he wasn't alarmed by her silence.<br>'_Connor must be getting impatient,_' Madeline thought, feeling the ghost of smirk almost come to her face.  
>She sighed silently and walked forward, lightly drawing her fingertips across the smooth surface of the wood. Travis watched her as she drifted around the pyre.<br>Madeline had become like a sister to him over the summer. As she and Connor had grown closer together, she had simultaneously become a member of his family. Now Connor was gone, and she was still here. And Travis was thankful for that, he realized.  
>He had lost his brother, but now he at least had a new sister. Connor could never be replaced, but Madeline was all that was left of him. He wouldn't stop caring for her now that Connor was gone.<br>A pained expression came to her face as Travis watched.  
>Madeline found she could pacify herself if she didn't burrow too deeply into her thoughts, but looking at the shroud for Connor, she slipped.<br>Turning away, she closed her eyes and placed a hand on her forehead, breathing deeply.  
>"Madeline," Travis said quietly, walking closer to her and placing a hand on her shoulder. "You should go to the Big House. Ask Chiron if my mother has called back."<br>Madeline looked at him and nodded. She was about to say something, apologize, but instead she turned away, furrowing her brow as she left the amphitheater.  
>She couldn't keep doing this. She had to be there to support Travis, and for everyone else, too. She couldn't just keep leaving every time she fell off the wagon. She had to carry on, and it couldn't be like this. How much time had to pass before she would be able to reappear in her life? Or at least before she would be able to act it?<p>

Madeline smoothed her expression from the frown she had on as she walked up the steps of the Big House and into the room that was Chiron's office. "Hello?" she called out. Her own voice sounded like a stranger's to her ears. She brushed off the unsettling thought and walked into the room. Maybe she could just wait here. It was quiet in here, peaceful. She sat down in the worn chair at Chiron's desk and look placidly around the room.  
>The old TV drew her back to her first day at Camp when she had watched the orientation video. It, too, almost brought a smile to her face.<br>'_An orientation video for being a descendant of the ancient Greek Gods,_' Madeline thought humorously.  
>'<em>Nothing prepares you for this, though,<em>' her mind whispered.  
>She lightly shook her head and looked away from the TV, the memory now tainted.<br>Her gaze came to the most cluttered wall in to room; there were countless pieces of paper, all of them stuck to the wall, creating a masterpiece that had grown over an obviously long time. Old letters and notes, mixed in with new ones. And mixed into the immense collage, acquired over dozens of generations of Camp Half-Blood, were pictures.  
>Madeline looked at them with a sense of sympathetic nostalgia; so many lives had passed through the very camp that had become a second home to her. So many other demigods -other teenagers who had once been completely normal -had found themselves in the same, unbelievable reality that had indeed become the life that Madeline was now a part of.<br>An old, brown-tinted picture showed a trio of boys. Two of them had their arms slung around each other's shoulders and their heads thrown back as they laughed at something beyond the little moment in time that the picture had captured. The third boy was smiling sheepishly. They were wearing familiar, orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirts.  
>Carefully, Madeline removed the pin that was holding the fragile picture to the wall and turned it over, reading the words that she had hoped would be there to satisfy her curiosity; "Maxwell, Samson, Eliot. A brotherhood to surpass lifetimes. 1947."<br>"Those boys were inseparable " a calm voice said from the doorway. Madeline turned around in surprise to see the familiar centaur. She hadn't even heard or noticed him approach.  
>"Samson was a son of Apollo," Chiron continued, rolling over in his enchanted wheelchair beside Madeline, pointing to one of the laughing boys. "Max, a son of Hephaestus," he continued, pointing to the other laughing boy,"and Eliot, a son of Aphrodite. They all hated each other at first. But oddly enough, they grew to be brothers. I believe in this photo they are all laughing at...hmm. Ah, yes. They are laughing at a girl named Eleanor, a daughter of Athena, who they relentlessly tormented. It was actually Max and Samson who did the tormenting, because they knew Eliot was hopelessly in love with her. Those two ended up getting married, but that's besides the point..."<br>The old centaurs voice drifted away as he smiled lightly down at the picture, reminiscing the memory of the long past heroes.  
>"Do you remember them all?" Madeline asked, looking at the many pictures of demigods on the wall, all just like Eliot, Maxwell, Samson, and even Eleanor, from times long passed.<br>"Yes," Chiron replied, a shade of sadness in his sagacious voice. "I remember them all. They deserve to be remembered."  
>Madeline, forgetting about why she had come to the centaur's office, turned back to the wall, pinning the picture of Max, Sam, and Eliot back into its place, and continued looking through the images. She found the oldest ones were to the left, the newest to the right. Slowly walking along the wall, she found more captured moments of Camp Half-Blood.<br>With a small smile, she found something Connor had mentioned at the beginning of the summer; a picture of Mason smiling. The big, intimidating boy who she could never get to smile, and he was grinning from ear to ear. It was a lovely smile.  
>'<em>He should do that more<em>,' Madeline thought.  
>The next picture she saw made her small smile turn into a sad frown.<br>"Is this..." Madeline asked slowly, the names feeling foreign on her tongue, "Selena Beauregard and Charles Beckendorf?"  
>Chiron nodded, closing his eyes for a moment.<br>The picture wasn't sad at all; Selena Beauregard, more beautiful than Madeline had imagined, was on Charles Beckendorf's back. She was giving him a kiss on the cheek, her arms wrapped gently around his neck. He was holding up his free hand, the other one holding onto Selena, to his face, trying to block himself from the camera, but his small smirk was still visible. They looked blissful.  
>What brought a sad frown to Madeline's face was what happened to them next. They had no idea what was going to happened to them. But in that moment captured in the photo, they were so happy. It was very sad to think that their happiness didn't last.<br>The next picture that Madeline's eyes met as she looked away from the two lost lovers made her face glass over.  
>She slowly reached forward and gently touched her fingertips to the photo on the wall, looking at it with misty eyes.<br>In it, she saw herself and Connor, sitting underneath the shade of a tree. She was asleep on Connor's shoulder and he had his arm around her, looking down at her with his lopsided smile that warmed her heart. He looked so absolutely happy and in love with the girl in that picture, with her, Madeline.  
>People would tell her that she had Connor tripping head over heels for her, that he was a different boy around her, and she would just sheepishly accept the compliment and pass it off. She knew Connor loved her, and that she loved him, but seeing it clearly in front of her eyes made it feel like her heart had stopped beating. She could see everything she had lost.<br>Madeline turned away from the painful reminder of her lost love and cleared her throat.  
>"Has Travis' mother called back?" she asked simply.<br>Chiron looked at her wisely, making Madeline feel like she was transparent, and replied, "No. Not yet."  
>Madeline politely nodded, thanking him, and then walked out of the Big House, wiping her eyes as a stray tear fell.<p>

* * *

><p><em>{Present Day}<em>

Gasps rippled through the crowd to where Madeline, Travis, and Katie were from the direction of where the wind had come from. They pushed through the crowd as they bulleted to the where everyone was turning to.  
>Madeline was the first to reach the edge of the crowd and she nearly collapsed at what she saw.<br>She turned around to call for Travis or Katie or Chiron or anyone, but nothing came out. She saw her sister break through the crowd and locked eyes with her, a horrified look on her face. Katie looked past Madeline, her face going slack, and slowly took a few steps towards her sister. Madeline did the same before sprinting towards Katie and throwing her arms around her sister, a sob replacing her staggered breathing.  
>Madeline squeezed her eyes closed, trying to forget the image that burned in her mind; Connor's lifeless body lying on the ground.<br>Whispers rippled through the arena in horror.  
>After a moment, Madeline stepped back from Katie, terrified of turning around again. Katie met her eyes and slowly nodded.<br>Madeline lethargically turned around, her breathe coming in short bursts.  
>Travis was on his knees beside his little brother's body, his head bowed and his eyes closed.<br>He looked up as Madeline silently walked towards him, slowly kneeling beside him.  
>Madeline swallowed with her dry throat and looked down at Connor's still face. She slowly raised a shaking hand to his forehead and brushed away one of his brunette curls. Another sob escaped her mouth and tears filled her eyes, streaming down her cheeks, as she took in his pale skin and closed eyes, his skin feeling cold against hers. She turned her head to her left and looked at Travis.<br>His eyebrows were furrowed as he starred at Connor's face with watery eyes. He glanced up at Madeline and then looked down, tears silently falling to the ground. Madeline reached out and grabbed his hand as they both wept over Connor Stoll's body. Katie slowly walked over and knelt beside Travis, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and whispering soft words into his ear.  
>The tears stopped streaming from Madeline's eyes and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she thought she noticed something; the eyelashes of the boy in front of her had fluttered for a small fragment of a second.<br>She held her breathe as she slowly lowered her ear to Connor's chest. She gasped with wide eyes as she heard it. It was weak and quiet, almost unnoticeable, but sure enough there was a heartbeat.  
>She held her ear close to his mouth and was reassured of the impossible thing that was happening as she felt a very faint breathe.<br>"Travis," she whispered, turning to the boy next to her. "_Travis_. He's alive."  
>She looked up to the crowd where Chiron was standing several feet away and repeated it, catching her breathe and speaking louder. "He's alive!"<br>Gasps reverberated through the crowd at Madeline's words.  
>She looked back down at Connor with a watery smile, gently holding his face in her hands.<br>"Connor," she said quietly. "Connor, please. Please wake up. Come back to us. Please, come back to me."  
>He didn't respond. His eyes stayed closed and he lay still.<br>Madeline's face fell, but she held onto the miracle in her hands; Connor was alive.  
>She didn't know how, but that didn't matter. He was alive.<br>She could hear the hands of the clock slowly beginning to tick again.  
>She lowered her head and kissed Connor gently on the forehead, holding him close to her. She laughed out loud, shaking her head as she smiled.<br>Out of the edge of her vision, Madeline noticed movement in the shadows of the amphitheater.  
>Her eyes widened as she watched a boy step out of the darkness<br>"Nico?" Madeline asked, furrowing her eyebrows again.  
>The raven haired boy only looked at her grimly.<p> 


	56. Sealed with a Kiss

Connor could hear voices, but they sounded distorted, like he was hearing them from far away and through water.  
>It felt like an eternity in the confused darkness of unconsciousness before he slowly -very slowly- opened his eyes.<br>He was lying in a bed in one of the private rooms in the Big House, Connor realized. But...how did he get there?  
>"Hello?" he croaked, his throat dry and sore. He coughed and cleared his throat, a terrible ache reverberating throughout his body.<br>He heard the voices go silent as he started making noise. The first face he saw peek around the corner was a grinning Travis Stoll, his big brother.  
>He walked over to the bed and crossed his arms, proudly smirking down at his little brother.<br>The first words he spoke to his brother after he awoke from death were, "You son of a bitch."  
>They both stayed silent for a moment, wearing serious faces, before wide grins took their places and they burst out laughing, Connor grimacing. It hurt his chest to laugh.<br>Travis leaned down and threw his arms around his brothers, patting him on the back. Connor groaned and hugged him back with one arm.  
>"You really shouldn't talk about mom like that," Connor joked as they let go.<br>Travis couldn't wipe the grin off his face, even if he wanted to, as he shook his head in disbelief and looked at his brother.  
>"You may have just pulled the greatest trick of your life, little brother," Travis said, pulling up a seat next to the bed where his brother lied.<br>"And what's that?" Connor asked jovially.  
>Travis' smile shrunk as he saw his brother's unknowing one and he furrowed his eyebrows slightly.<br>"Travis?" he asked, his smile fading as the mood was no longer full of banter and joking.  
>"You were..." his brother began to answer. He stopped and cleared his throat, looking away. "You were dead, Connor. Like, <em>dead<em>. The only reason you're here is because Nico brought you back. The Ghost Prince brought you back from the dead."  
>Connor blinked and swallowed with his very dry throat, looking down at his hands.<br>"Is there anything to drink around here?" he asked simply. Travis lightly smiled at him and left the room to retrieve a drink, leaving Connor to let the news sink in.  
>Images flashed in Connor's mind suddenly, causing him to clench his teeth and tightly close his eyes. He brought his hands up to his head and let out a loan moan of pain.<br>He saw blackness, so much blackness, and cruel eyes filled with absolute hatred. They sneered at him like he was a new toy they couldn't wait to break. There was fire and coldness at the same time. It was all so awful.  
>Just a quick as they came, the visions were gone. Connor opened his eyes and steadied himself on the bedside table as he returned from that place, his breathing staggered from the nightmare.<br>"I hoped you wouldn't remember so much," a voice said from the door. Connor looked up and met the dark eyes of Nico di Angelo.  
>"What do you mean?" Connor asked cautiously, slowly pushing himself up in bed. Nico slowly entered the room and stood at the foot of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest.<br>"What do you remember?" Nico said, replying to his question with a question of his own. Connor concentrated, going back into his memory.  
>"The quest," he answered. "We found Nemesis, and Dolos...he stabbed Travis and then...there was just darkness."<br>Nico sighed at Connor, his jaw set.  
>"Yeah," he said, "well, that darkness was Tartarus. You accidentally got stuck there with Dolos. It's an evil place that none of us should ever see. All there is is evil and all of the monsters ever to exist. If you had been there long enough, any longer than you were, you would've gone mad and you would have been reduced to nothing." Connor nodded, pouting his bottom lip.<br>"I suppose I have you to thank for my life then," he said to Nico. "So, thanks. Seriously."  
>The two teenage boys nodded at each other and stayed in silence for a moment. Travis entered the room with a glass of water and walked around Nico, sitting in his seat next to the bed again as he handed the glass to Connor. He took a sip of the cool, refreshing drink and it was soon gone in a moment after that as he downed it, bottoms up. He set the glass down and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.<br>"Good to be back," he said quietly. He looked back up at Nico and opened his mouth to speak before closing it again, furrowing his brow.  
>"How'd you do it?" he asked the son of Hades.<br>"Something I get from my dad is that I know when people die," he replied. "I can feel it. While you were gone, I visited Camp. I met Madeline-"  
>Connor suddenly felt more awake as he remembered Madeline.<br>"She's fine," Travis said, seeing the thoughts on his brother's face.  
>"So, I got to know Madeline a bit,"<br>Connor set his jaw and slightly furrowed his brow at the boy across from him. Nico cleared his throat.  
>"Nothing happened," he said simply, responding to Connor's silent inquiry, and underneath that, threat. "I just got to know her and... she's a good person. She has a strong essence. I can see and feel that kind of thing in a different way than most people can. It's like a signature, and everyone has their own. When you entered the Underworld, I could sense you. I didn't think it was you at first, though. I recognized Madeline's essence, and I thought-"<br>"You thought she had died?" Connor asked, feeling queasy.  
>"Yeah," Nico replied sullenly. "And I knew that something... was wrong. People don't go to Tartarus, so I went to find... you. And then I pulled you out. She just has such a strong essence, and I guess since you two, uh, well you... since you've kinda, well, <em>bonded<em>, there were traces of her energy in you. That's how I found you."  
>Connor nodded, feeling a blush creep into his cheeks.<br>"But the way you got there," Nico continued, "made things a bit more complicated. You weren't just sent alive to the Underworld. Dolos...snapped your neck. You were barely even still attached to your body. I'm not really sure if you even were. I had to _force_ your soul back into your body."  
>Connor's eyes widened slightly.<br>"That's why you were gone for so long," Nico finished.  
>"How long was I gone?" Connor asked quickly.<br>"We thought you were dead for more than a week," Travis answered gently. "Nico did all he could while you were in the Underworld, and then the Apollo cabin's best healers have been working on you ever since he brought you back to Camp. You've been back at Camp and unconscious for more than a week. You've been _gone_ for about half a month. Summer's over."  
>Connor's head felt like it was spinning, but he kept himself steady.<br>"What happened with the quest?" he asked. "What's going on up on Olympus?"  
>"It's all good, now," Travis answered. "Nemesis realized that she had been manipulated and she sent Dolos to Tartarus. That's how you got sent away by accident...But the Gods worked it all out. They saw their mistakes and they've promised to keep peace, for now. You know, until the next time us demigods need to clean up after their asses."<br>The three boys in the room smirked at this truthful comment.  
>"So," Connor said, thinking aloud. "I died, Nico brought me back, I've been gone for two weeks, and Olympus is saved. All's well that ends well, right?"<br>"I guess so," Nico said, almost smiling.  
>"I can't thank you enough," Connor said sincerely to Nico, meeting his eyes.<br>"What else am I here for besides to mess with the balance of death and nature?" Nico shrugged nonchalantly.  
>The three boys turned their attention to the door as the two directors of Camp Half-Blood entered. Chiron, in his magic wheelchair, rolled over to Connor and Dionysus stood with boredom beside him.<br>"It is a relief to see you awake," Chiron said with a caring smile, clasping Connor's shoulder.  
>"You did well," Dionysus said simply, a very faint hint of appraisal in his voice. Or maybe he had just spent too much time in the strawberry fields under the sun.<br>"Aw," Connor said jokingly, "don't worry, Mr. D. You won't be getting rid of me that easy."  
>Dionysus grunted and turned away, walking out of the room. Chiron chuckled and shook his head, the laugh lines that graced his old, kind face setting in.<br>"It is always a great pleasure to see heroes return," the centaur said, looking at the three demigods in turn. "All of them."  
>After a moment he added, "I suggest we give Connor a time alone. He will be having visitors all day now that he has finally awaken."<br>Travis gave him one last smile, Nico one last nod, and with that, they all left the room.  
>Connor sat for a moment, looking blankly around the room.<br>He slowly turned the blankets off of him and swung his legs off the side of the bed. He winced as he felt an ache throughout his body in response to the sudden movement; he could tell it was the most he'd done in a while. He limped over to the window of the room and pulled open the curtains, one at a time.  
>Squinting into the bright sunlight as his eyes adjusted, Connor took in the lively sight of Camp Half-Blood. He saw the strawberry fields to the left and campers everywhere, smiling and laughing. He chuckled silently to himself and couldn't believe how lucky he was.<br>He brought a hand up and massaged his sore neck, slowly turning his head in circles. His entire body felt sore.  
>'<em>I guess returning from the dead is a tiring business<em>,' he thought.  
>"Are you <em>trying <em>to break yourself?" a girl's voice scolded from the doorway.  
>Connor turned around, a wide grin spreading across his face as he recognized that voice.<br>Madeline stood in the doorway, shaking her head as she looked at Connor.  
>A smile came to her face and she bit her lip to keep it from quivering. She felt energized just at the sight of him.<br>Connor sighed and tried to talk, but he was speechless. He couldn't describe what a blessing she looked like in that moment. Her long, black curls fell over her shoulders and the way the sunlight was streaming through the window, her eyes were perfectly illuminated and her caramel skin glowed.  
>She looked like she always did in his eyes; beautiful.<br>He took a step towards her and she burst forward, wrapping her arms around his torso. He staggered back a little, surprised at her strength, but Madeline had a good grip on him and wasn't letting go. He smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his head on hers. He brushed his hand over her hair and held her close to him.  
>"Are <em>you<em> trying to break me?" Connor joked as she pulled away, looking up at him.  
>"You're right," she said, walking to the bed and sitting in the chair beside it. "You should rest."<br>"I wasn't complaining," Connor told her with a chuckle.  
>He followed her and sat down on the edge of the bed, facing her.<br>He sighed and looked at her, his chest feeling like a weight was lifted from it. He put his hands on her shoulders and trailed them down to her soft hands, taking them in his own and raising them to his lips. He kissed them and held them to his chest, resting his chin on them.  
>"Hi," he said quietly, smiling his lopsided smile at her.<br>Madeline grinned widely, laughing as she responded. "Hello."  
>She gently removed her hands from his and moved them to hold his face. She leaned forward and softly pressed her lips to his for a short, sweet kiss. He tasted like ambrosia, she noted, which made sense since he was chock full of the stuff.<br>She looked into his sparkly blue eyes for a moment before closing hers and resting her forehead against his chest, feeling his breathing and his warmth.  
>"I missed you," she whispered.<br>Connor felt his heart racing in his chest at the heart-breaking sound of her voice and needed her more than he had ever needed anything in his life.  
>He held Madeline by her hips and pulled her forward, wrapping his arms around her waist, and pressed his lips to hers for a much longer kiss than before. She had her hands on his back and tightly gripped his shirt in them to restrain herself, her hands full of the fabric.<br>She had to be gentle with him for the time being; she knew he didn't want to hear her say that he was fragile right now, but she knew he was and didn't want to hurt him. She stood up to get closer to him, gently pressing her chest against his, and returned his passionate kiss. She paused for a moment, knowing that she should stop, and gave him a small peck on each cheek before pulling away, moving her hands to rest on his arms.  
>"I missed you, too," Connor replied. "More than you would believe."<br>He lifted one hand up, keeping the other on the small of her back, and touched the small space in between her collar bones with his fingertips. He lightly ran his fingers up her neck and grasped the delicate chain that he knew would be there, pulling it up from where it rested beneath the fabric of her shirt. He turned over the small, golden charm and smiled, closing his hand around it. It had kept him going while he had been on the quest, giving him hope and keeping him sane with the memory of the girl he loved.  
>Connor looked up at her and gave her a kiss on the forehead, letting the necklace drop and tightening his arms around her waist.<br>"Be careful," Madeline warned him, concern in her voice. She moved her hands to his wrist and moved his arms to rest in the space between them.  
>"Don't worry," he said playfully with a smirk, "I won't hurt you."<br>Madeline scoffed, rolling her eyes, and said, "Yeah. Not what I was talking about. I said be careful because I have to make sure not to hurt _you_."  
>Connor lightly furrowed his brow at her, pouting. "I'm fine."<br>"You will be. But for now, you _need_ to rest. I'm sorry," she whispered into his ear, soothing him by stroking his curly hair. "You're just too stubborn for your own good. And I know you think I'm coddling you. But when you get as badly injured as you were, you're not gonna heal as quick as a cut. When the neck is broken, the entire spinal column needs to heal. Under ordinary circumstances, people don't even survive 5 seconds past this kind of thing."  
>He sighed, leaning his head into her shoulder, and nodded. "Point made," he said. "I just... I want this to be over with."<br>"I know. You'll be better soon though," Madeline assured him. "Just not yet."  
>She walked around the bed and knelt behind him, gently wrapping her arms around his shoulders and running her hands over his chest.<br>"Lay down," she pleaded with him, moving to the head of the bed with her legs criss-crossed.  
>He sighed in protest as she pulled him back, her dainty hands luring him in, and let his head rest in her lap.<br>"How dare you take advantage of me when I'm like this," Connor joked, feeling his body relax in her care. Madeline smiled, leaning over him and placing a kiss on his forehead. He took in the familiar garden scent that always lingered on Madeline with a deep breath through his nose.  
>"I just can't resist," she replied with a chuckle. She sat up and placed one of her soft hands on his cheek, her fingers curling under his jaw and her thumb running back and forth over his cheekbone. Her other hand rested on the space below his collar bone.<br>He closed his eyes and could feel goosebumps on every inch of his body as relaxing waves of shivers passed through him. He raised one of his hands and touched Madeline's waist.  
>"C'mon, Mads," he complained in a mumbled voice, "you're gonna make me fall asleep."<br>"Duh," she replied devilishly. "That's the _point_. I know you don't want to, but you need to rest. And you're gonna, whether you like it or not."  
>"You're evil," he joked, smiling as he began to doze off.<br>The last thing Connor heard was her soft chuckle as he fell asleep.

* * *

><p>Connor lied on his back and held Madeline against his body, his arms wrapped tightly around her torso. It had been 4 days since he woke up, and Chiron had finally released him from the Big House.<br>He had one knee bent up around the them, the other one hanging off the side of the tall back wall of the arena as Madeline held onto his strong arms and rested her head on his his chest. The pair of teenage demigods were lying together on the highest ring of seats in the Amphitheater.  
>It was the last day of summer at Camp Half-Blood, which meant many of the campers were packing up to leave, including Madeline.<br>All her belongings were already taken care of, so they had till the sun set to be together.  
>They had decided that Madeline would visit his house for Thanksgiving when he would also be going home and that they would both be back at Camp Half-Blood for Christmas together. There were times all throughout the year to see each other again before summer and they would be sure to use every last one of them.<br>"I don't have to worry about you falling in love with some jock while you're away, do I?" Connor asked jokingly, though the thought of them being apart for such long periods of time did worry him.  
>Madeline shook her head with a smirk.<br>"Never," she promised him. "Everyone thinks I'm weird in my town. And I could ask you the same thing."  
>"I promise you I won't fall in love with some hot jock while you're gone," he said, a mock seriousness in his voice.<br>Madeline laughed, and a smile spread across Connor's face; it was one of his favorite things in the world.  
>"And I'll be sure to Iris message you everyday that you're down there," Madeline said quietly.<br>They both knew what she was referring to; while Connor had been in the Underworld, Nico could only do so much to save him. He had had no other choice if he wanted to bring Connor back to life, and he had made the decision to feed Connor half of a pomegranate seed; this meant that for half a month out of every year in the winter, Connor was bound with his very life to return to the Underworld. No one blamed Nico for his actions; the alternative would have been Connor's ultimate destruction. Connor thought it was even less than a small price to pay to be alive and be able to have the rest of his life with all the people he loved.  
>"I'm sure it won't be that bad," Connor joked, though he wondered what it would be like. "I'm sure the Underworld needs some spicing up, maybe some pranks here and there."<br>"Oh goodness..." Madeline said quietly with a bemused sigh. "Good luck with that."  
>"You know when I'm down there, I'll be able to get a glimpse of Elysium," Connor whispered into her ear. Madeline nodded.<br>"While it's your job to go around killing monsters," she said, "I've decided it's _my_ job to fight alongside you and make sure you don't get yourself killed anytime soon. I won't be satisfied until your an old man. Old and grey. Then you can take your seat in Elysium."  
>"I don't get a say in it?" he asked, though she could hear the smirk in his voice. She shook her head, grinning.<br>"I suppose I'm fine with that," he shrugged, glancing down at her.  
>Madeline sat up and turned around, lightly placing her weight on his lower stomach with her legs on either side of him. She rested her hands on his chest and he smirked up at her, his hands on her hips. She ruffled his curly hair with a loving smile and lightly furrowed her brow.<br>'_What have I gotten myself into?_' she thought, looking down at his handsome face, bright blue eyes, and that lopsided smile she loved so much.  
>"But you'd better be right beside me the whole time," Connor told her. "And besides, I'm not aiming for Elysium. I'm making it to the Isle of the Blessed, and I'm taking you with me. It wouldn't be worth-while without you."<br>Madeline pressed her hands to the stone on either side of Connor's head and leaned towards him.  
>"It's a deal," she whispered, the young lovers sealing their promise with a kiss.<p>

**_The End._**


End file.
